Scientists link frozen spring to dramatic Arctic ice loss

nexus · Post by **nexus** » 25 Mar 2013, 18:49

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... a-ice-loss

Climate scientists have linked the massive snowstorms and bitter spring weather now being experienced across Britain and large parts of Europe and North America to the dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice.

Both the extent and the volume of the sea ice that forms and melts each year in the Arctic Ocean fell to an historic low last autumn, and satellite records published on Monday by the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado, show the ice extent is close to the minimum recorded for this time of year.

"The sea ice is going rapidly. It's 80% less than it was just 30 years ago. There has been a dramatic loss. This is a symptom of global warming and it contributes to enhanced warming of the Arctic," said Jennifer Francis, research professor with the Rutgers Institute of Coastal and Marine Science.

According to Francis and a growing body of other researchers, the Arctic ice loss adds heat to the ocean and atmosphere which shifts the position of the jet stream – the high-altitude river of air that steers storm systems and governs most weather in northern hemisphere.

"This is what is affecting the jet stream and leading to the extreme weather we are seeing in mid-latitudes," she said. "It allows the cold air from the Arctic to plunge much further south. The pattern can be slow to change because the [southern] wave of the jet stream is getting bigger. It's now at a near record position, so whatever weather you have now is going to stick around," she said.

Tarrel · Post by **Tarrel** » 25 Mar 2013, 19:59

This kind of connection needs to be publicised much more widely. It's an ideal antidote to the nay-sayers (including supposedly unbiased BBC journalists) who repeatedly point to the cold weather as contrary evidence of a warming climate.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 26 Mar 2013, 08:15

The polar ice this spring has shattered for want of a better term. It has broken into thousands of separate sheets joined by very thin ice which will quickly melt in the coming weeks and months. There is always cracking of the ice, but this year it is far more widespread and early. The entire sheet is drifting around in the winds and tides as never before. Some people fear the entire sheet will drift south and melt out this year, although most observers think this won't happen for a couple more years.

peaceful_life · Post by **peaceful_life** » 26 Mar 2013, 11:29

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/21926939

The kids newsround.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 26 Mar 2013, 12:04

Yes, the jetstream, such as it is at the moment, has wondered way down south, allowing polar air via western Siberia to us. It's the jetstream's normal position that keeps our winds prevailing from the west. Without it we may as well be in Newfoundland of northeast China.

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 26 Mar 2013, 12:05

peaceful_life wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/21926939

The kids newsround.

FWIW, see the last paragraph:

Not everyone agrees though. Some experts challenge these claims, saying there's not enough evidence to prove that climate change and global warming are happening.

I suspect that "Not everyone agrees though" could be applied to every story that the Beeb runs. I wonder how they decide which stories deserve such a last paragraph?

Peter.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 26 Mar 2013, 12:43

Blue Peter wrote:
Not everyone agrees though. Some experts challenge these claims, saying there's not enough evidence to prove that climate change and global warming are happening.
They've missed out the obligatory signature "more research is needed". ie "I want some more money".

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 26 Mar 2013, 13:53

And that some folk believe the Earth to be flat.

peaceful_life · Post by **peaceful_life** » 26 Mar 2013, 14:23

Blue Peter wrote:
peaceful_life wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/21926939

The kids newsround.
FWIW, see the last paragraph:

Not everyone agrees though. Some experts challenge these claims, saying there's not enough evidence to prove that climate change and global warming are happening.
I suspect that "Not everyone agrees though" could be applied to every story that the Beeb runs. I wonder how they decide which stories deserve such a last paragraph?

Peter.

Yeah sure, but the vid clip (which I imagine the majority of the kids will of seen) hardly doubles back.
Better than nowt I spose.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 05 Jun 2013, 13:28

The amateur forecasters over on Nevan's sea ice forum are predicting a rapid melting of sea ice in the next two weeks as the stable cold cyclone over the North pole finally drags in very warm air from siberia and central US.

https://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.php?topic=92.250

The chat is sensationalist in tone, sea ice volume has so far held up against last year's (record melt) values. However, better satellite images and processing are showing that the ice itself has fragmented across the entire arctic very early in the season, and is spread south and dispersed by the weather storms, where it will probably melt rapidly in the next 3 months.

Expect record iceberg numbers in the Atlantic.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 05 Jun 2013, 15:28

This sums up how I feel about CC deniers...

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 19 Jul 2013, 12:40

After a late start, the arctic sea ice melt is making up for lost time and melting out at near record rates, although we are still a few days behind the schedule for last year's record breaking melt out.

The final level of melt is still heavily dependent on the weather for the next two months, but it has been stable and sunny, as it has been here, and looks likely to stay that way for a couple of weeks at least.

The ice is on average thinner this year in the central arctic basin, and the sheet is almost entirely shattered and drifting around, and this may be confusing the satellites into thinking there is more ice than is really there. We will find out for sure in the next 6 weeks.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 22 Jul 2013, 07:48

Looks like it's going to be an interesting week's weather at the North Pole. http://arctic-news.blogspot.co.uk/2013/ ... flush.html
If Paul Beckwith is right this could make a dramatic impact on the ice.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 22 Jul 2013, 13:23

Furthermore there seems to be open water at the North Pole! http://arctic-news.blogspot.co.uk/2013/ ... -pole.html

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 22 Jul 2013, 16:35

I'm pretty sure that the photo wasn't taken at the exact north pole, as the ice drifts hundreds of miles over a winter season.

Also, that is a melt pond on top of the ice. At present the ice is up to 2 metres thick at the pole, which is relatively thin.

Stellite image of north pole

http://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.p ... l#msg10347
Plenty of fractures in the flows, not much open water.