Greenland
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A study shows that Greenland's frozen coasts are rapidly thinning. In some places, the ice sheets are disappearing at a rate of more than three feet per year. A smaller ice sheet could mean higher sea levels. Hi, I'm Dave Thurlow for the Weather Notebook.

New research indicates a net loss of roughly 51 cubic kilometers of ice per year from the Greenland ice sheet. That's enough to raise the average sea level worldwide about .13 millimeters per year. That may not sound like much but it could add up to nearly a foot in one lifespan. Since roughly 130,000 years ago, the sea level has risen approximately four meters.

However, Greenland's ice level is rising on the interior. Ice melts near the coast, giving up moisture to the surrounding atmosphere. Greenland is a lower altitude, meaning the air is warmer, and therefore it rises. Moisture rich air cools when it reaches the higher altitudes, and the air gives up its moisture in the form of snow. Gradually the snow builds up into ice. The thickening ice in the center of Greenland is itself evidence of disappearing ice over the rest of the continent.

The study of ice in Greenland has significance for the rest of our planet. It's one-seventh the size of Antarctica and protrudes into temperate latitudes. This may make it a better indicator of climate change than Antarctica.

Ice cover acts as the planet's thermostat. It regulates temperature by reflecting sunlight back into space. It also holds most of the Earth's fresh water. This water would otherwise swamp coastal lowlands around the world.

The Weather Notebook is produced by the Mount Washington Observatory and is funded by Subaru: The beauty of all-wheel drive.