NSIDC - Arctic November Temps 18 Degrees Above Normal; Low Ice Eases Path For Warm Air
Record-low levels of Arctic sea ice might be at least partly responsible for the high temperatures. Ryan Maue, a meteorologist with WeatherBell Analytics, told the Washington Post that the temperatures are being brought to the North Pole by a storm east of Greenland, and that record-low sea ice makes it easier for warm air to travel northward unencumbered.
Since roughly September, the Arctic has experienced much warmer than normal temperatures — November was a record 18 degrees above normal, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual arctic report card, released December 13, surface air temperatures for the Arctic this year have been “by far” the highest since 1900.
That warm up has resulted in seriously decreased sea ice, which tied at the end of the summer for the second-lowest minimum extent on record. And that, in turn, helps fuel some of the persistent warming seen at the Arctic, because low sea ice means that more of the sun’s heat is absorbed by the ocean, which in turn slowly releases that heat into the air through fall and winter.
According to analysis released by the World Weather Attribution project — a group of scientists associated with the website Climate Central — human-fueled climate change is also playing a role in the current record warmth. Using both observational and computer modeling, the group found global warming is both intensifying heat in the Arctic, and making such events more frequent.
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https://thinkprogress.org/north-pole-december-heat-wave-87f4e5845b77#.dxhjr4bju