Breaking: Prediction that Northwest Passage won't clear this year

From the North American Ice Service, dated June 3, 2009: "Seasonal Outlook For North American Arctic Waters, Summer 2009" [PDF]:

Of concern for the western Arctic region for this summer, is the unusual amount of old ice described earlier in Franklin Strait and M’Clintock Channel. This will most certainly prevent the clearing of the Northwest Passage for a fourth consecutive year and affect transit through the Victoria Strait region during late August and early September period.

More on the Northwest Passage

The Northwest Passage was successfully navigated in 1906, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1957, 1969, 1977, 1984, 1988, and 2000 (and probably in other years as well).