Neven has headed out on vacation just when the Arctic sea ice extent is getting interesting. It is taking a dive, the Northern Route is about half way open, the main channel in the Northwest Passage is emptying and the next week or so should tell the tale
Oh yes, Eli prefers IUP at Uni-Bremen. Make something of it
With sun spots disappearing, the ice melts faster and June gets hot has H during ENSO neutral. Year-to-date rankings have gone from 17th warmest year in January, 2011 to 12th warmest year January to through May, 2011.
ReplyDeleteWith all these indications of global cooling, I can see AGW is slipping away all righty.
Neven got back from vacation a day or so ago, Eli, and is posting away.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree strongly about the next week telling the tale (of how the rest of the year will go, I assume you mean). Notwithstanding how primed things the ice is, favorable weather conditions (the Beaufort gyre in operation and reduced cloudiness) will be needed for anything amazing to happen.
Steve Bloom
Yeeeeeeeesssss... still my bets stand, but it looks a bit worrying.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as if I have just returned in time. :-)
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to check Uni Bremen's extent rate graph either, Eli (featured on the Arctic sea ice graphs page). It has just dipped below 2010 - which had quite a big rate of decrease - for the first time and if it stays that way...
Main area of focus now - for me - is Nares Strait and its amazing ice plug. I will start doing animations on the NWP in a couple of days I think.
The NWP is much more icy than at this time last year.
ReplyDeleteCompare these two shots:
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=Arctic_r04c02.2010164.terra
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?subset=Arctic_r04c02.2011164.terra
And Nares Strait remains blocked. Neither of these make a significant difference to the central pack, which is where the action is (and which is looking very flaky indeed this year). It's going to be an interesting season.
Twenty years ago the first Hobie cat traversed the Northwest Passage.
ReplyDeleteLast week a couple of kite skiers completed the run
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/iqaluit-duo-finishes-kite-skiing-northwest-passage
Anybody want to teach Anthony Watts how to wind surf?
"Anybody want to teach Anthony Watts how to wind surf?"
ReplyDeleteHow about basejumping without a parachute?
That would work nicely, dhogaza, and would make up for my disappointment at those Chico tronadoes having missed him. :)
ReplyDeleteHmm, I didn't know Stoats could sweat.
Steve Bloom
Give a polar bear a State Meteorologist , and it will eat for a day. Teach it to catch TV weather forecasters, and you can still catch doppler radar on the web.
ReplyDeleteThe Lemming's annual sea ice guessing game will commence on the solstice, as usual.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that last year's June dive was mostly related to early melting of Hudson bay. 2010 came back to the pack in July, when that area usually melts.
This year, the June dive seems to be associated with melting north of European Russia. How that will play out, I have no idea.
New ice thickness map of the Arctic unveiled
ReplyDelete