Dr. Melling explains:

"the interesting aspect of the ice extent panel is that the 1990s do not show up as anything unusual when considering ice over the continental shelf of the southern Beaufort. Obviously, north of the shelf and west of 141, conditions in the late 1990s were very unusual. I think that the pattern on the shelf has difficult conditions that 'favour' either the Mackenzie or Alaskan sectors. The years 1997-2003 favoured the Alaskan sector, but as far as the shelf was concerned, they were not particularly unusual. Our area got compensating bad conditions during the same time (well, bad for science, good for business). This all adds up to not much change over the years."