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I ran across a news article today about the highly unusual warm temperatures that have been recorded in the Arctic over the past several days. Apparently, at one point, the temperature reached 43 degrees F, 6.1 degrees C last weekend at the Cape Morris Jesup weather station at the northernmost part of Greenland. This weather station is is only about 400 miles south of the North Pole. This is highly unusual weather for the end of February at the top of Greenland. This is actually record breaking weather there, the temperature was above freezing for 61 hours, greatly out-doing the previous record of 16 hours before the end of April, set in 2011.
You can read more about this in this news story here.
http://www.newsweek.com/freakish-warming-causes-arctic-temperatures-rise-nearly-40-degrees-above-822098?yptr=yahoo
The ocean ice has been thinner in the past few years than what used to be normal for the area, and the exposure of the open sea releases more warmth into the atmosphere, which causes more thinning of the ice cover in a self reinforcing feedback loop. This also causes an increase in glacier melting, contributing to the current glcial mass loss that is being experienced in Greenland, which contributes to sea-level rise. This rise in sea level isn't all that apparent yet, but it has been contributing to storm surges, and as time goes on will become more apparent.
For another look at this on-going weather phenomenon, check out this news story here.
https://www.livescience.com/61864-arctic-temperatures-record-high.html
This is no longer an isolated weather event, but rather, a sign of a new weather trend that is starting to happen more regularly. The climate is changing, and where that is going leads to more questions than answers. Climate affects weather, the more heat in a storm system, the more energy it has, and the more violent it can become. Ocean warming is one of the biggest factors in this changing climate, and it doesn't look like it's going to be slowing down any time soon.
Spring is coming in the Northern Hemisphere, and along with it, stormy weather. It is a good idea to be prepared for bad weather and natural disasters.
Stay safe, everybody!
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