Starting in 1988, strong winter winds caused lots of thicker older ice to be pushed out into the North Atlantic. This went on for almost a decade and caused the volume of ice to decline by 50%. Thinner ice melts more easily in the summer, and the summer minimums were dropping until 2007.
2007 brought very strong southerly winds all summer and into following winter. That pushed a lot more ice out the Arctic. The amount of multi-year ice has been increasing since 2009.
2012’s melt season started with southerly winds in the Beaufort Sea opening a large hole in the ice. This absorbed a lot of sunlight in June and July, which warmed the water. When a large winter storm struck in Early August, the warm water mixed with the remaining ice and melted out the Beaufort Sea very quickly.
The winter of 2012-2013 saw a sharp turnaround – the ice pushed from the vulnerable east to the safe western side of the Arctic, and was followed by a very cold summer. If this pattern continues for a couple more years, ice will be almost back to “normal” and will stop screaming at Mark Serreze.
What does all this have to do with CO2? Nothing.
What ever normal is in a highly variable system.
Obviously, AGW caused all the above wind events, because as we know, AGW is an explanation for every weather event which fits their agenda.
AGW also explains how winds have increased Antarctic sea ice.
2013 was rare. The last time we had such a good summer for ice retention was 1996. It isn’t going to happen again and again for the next few years. Meanwhile the amount of multiyear ice is still significantly lower than it was in 2007. Another 2007 like year will take us below 2012, and even an average year will take us below 2013. This ‘recovery’ is temporary at best, and the trend is still down.
Nonsense. The remaining ice is far to the west and very little will be lost this winter no matter what happens.
It cracks me up that the same people who were predicting a huge loss this summer are pretending to be knowledgeable now.
I didn’t predict a ‘huge’ loss this summer, I assume huge being a relative term to 2012. Incidentally it cracks me up that the same people that were predicting not a record last summer are pretending to be knowledgeable now. What happened to the bets you made last year?
If you read this post, then you would know what happened last summer. Make sure and read before commenting in the future.
So is it climate or just a weather event? By what metric are you calling 2013 rare? The measured amount of MYI for the last 200 years and more is? Where can I see this information?
And you guess “This ‘recovery’ is temporary at best, and the trend is still down.” is just that, a guess.
In March 1959 the ashes of Australian polar explorer, ornithologist, pilot, soldier, geographer and photographer Sir Hubert Wilkins were scattered across the Arctic. These ashes were taken to the North Pole by the submarine USS Skate, that surfaced at or near the North Pole to carry out this duty on March 17, 1959.
So? A submarine surfacing in a lead near the NP is hardly remarkable. You even get small leads in winter when the temp is <-40C.
And your source for saying submarines “surfacing in a lead near the NP is hardly remarkable” is what? It is so unremarkable that it is a ordinary thing to happen?
It is quite normal for a 267 ft 7 in (81.56 m) long, 25 ft (7.6 m) vessel to navigate under the polar ice cap making its way to the North pole? I am glad you think so.
What happened to “Ice-free by 2010/2011/2012/2013”?
I know you lost the bet. Its odd that you insult climate scientists when they wrong, but when you are wrong you never even admit it.
Cut the mindless crap. I paid the bets and discussed it here last year.
You guys really got your asses kicked by Gaia this year.
http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/09/25/rapid-ice-growth-over-the-past-six-days/
I saw the commenter here a few days ago. He said you still haven’t paid.
post a link
Steve Steve Steve, changes in wind patterns can cause extra build up of ice in Antarctica. But in green science this cannot happen in the Arctic.