Extreme negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation yields a warm Arctic:
[Via NSIDC Arctic News and Analysis RSS Feed]
Arctic sea ice extent at end of December 2009 remained below normal, primarily in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic. Average air temperatures over the Arctic Ocean were much higher than normal for the month, reflecting unusual atmospheric conditions. Also, a review of 2009 Arctic sea ice conditions.
[More]
Parts of the US might be cooler than usual but a large part of the Arctic is warmer. Parts of Greenland are 8 degrees or more warmer.
Figure 4. Map of air temperature anomalies for December 2009, at the 925 millibar level (roughly 1,000 meters [3,000 feet] above the surface) for the region north of 30 degrees N, shows warmer than usual temperatures over the Arctic Ocean and cooler than normal temperatures over central Eurasia, the United States and southwestern Canada. Areas in orange and red correspond to strong positive (warm) anomalies. Areas in blue and purple correspond to negative (cool) anomalies.
—Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center courtesy NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences Division
I wonder how the Greenland glaciers are doing this winter?
Technorati Tags: Environment
