Even For Experienced Scientists, Arctic In 2016 Is Moving Into "Uncharted Territory"

[hatrack]

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So Arctic amplification has long been understood — and, confirming the theory, the Arctic has already been warming much faster than the more temperate latitudes. Even in this context, though, scientists have been noting that there seems to be something especially stark about what’s happening atop the world this year, which has seen overall temperatures soar to new highs. “We’re in record breaking territory no matter how you look at it,” says Jennifer Francis, an Arctic specialist at Rutgers University who has published widely on how Arctic changes affect weather in the mid-latitudes. “The ice is really low, the temperatures are really high, the fire seasons have started earlier,” she says.

It’s an “uncharted territory situation that we’re finding ourselves in,” Francis says. Indeed, NASA and other keepers of planetary temperatures have documented staggering warmth in the region this year — not just 1 or 2 degrees Celsius above average, but more than 4 degrees above average across much of the Arctic during the first quarter of this year:

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=1484

January and February, in particular, set a new record for overall warmth in the Arctic, according to NOAA. Sure enough, when it comes to the U.S. Arctic in particular, Alaska has been warmer than ever recorded so far this year. NASA’s latest data show that this April was also record warm for the globe as a whole, but with some respite for some parts of the Arctic (though not others, including Alaska and Greenland).

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That isn’t assured yet — much could still change for the sea ice outlook. And scientists are struggling this year with the satellites they usually use to observe the Arctic, meaning the data are currently “provisional” (yes, at a critical time for climate change, we’re having technological problems observing it). But nonetheless, the data, such as they are, suggest the extent of sea ice is running way below average now and also below levels seen at this time of year during the record low year of 2012:

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=1484

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/05/16/even-for-the-fast-melting-arctic-2016-is-in-uncharted-territory/

[RKP5637]

1. K&R! n/t

[Hydra]

2. Spooky

But we knew it was coming. We're probably well into feedback loop now.

[2naSalit]

3. K&R