Snow & Ice coverage in the Northern Hemisphere Winter 2021/22

[Midlands Ice Age]

7 Day Update for Arctic Sea Ice..

A 'quieter' week for ice expansion...

Snow has remained constant during the last week, with little growth or even re-arrangement.

Arctic Sea Ice has been steady in its progression (though with inter-day variability now becoming more noticeable).

Sea Ice extent on Masie now at 13,776 K Km2, an increase of (+195K) in the week,  after changes daily of (+8K,+88K, -64K, +8K, +146K, +13K and lastly -43K).

The leaves the ice extent now in 16th out of 18 years on Jaxa (see below - thanks to ASIF).

        

Ice growth is in Barents and the peripheral areas.

Baltic has also further consolidated with growth of (+14K), Most of the northern section of the Gulf of Bothnia is now iced. It is way ahead of the last 5 years. 

Barents (+27K)  too is freezing rapidly this year, and pack ice has now reached Bear Isle., half way between Svalbard and Norway. 

In the Russian Sector  Bering (+154K) , is now icing out towards the Isthmus, and the SOO (+13K) is awaiting the next pulse of cold air.

In America Hudson Bay is now fully iced and Baffin is moving down the coast of Labrador.(+108K). 

Within the next week, I expect to see the 14.000K Km2 extent mark achieved.

This will leave about 8 weeks to push on towards the 15,000K Km2 'barrier', which has not been achieved for the last 12 years. (2011 season), but it will need the Baltic to continue to put in a strong performance to achieve this. 

 

 

Volume has not been easy to track this year. However a recent update for the end of the year has been issued and reported by PIOMAS (see below) . The DMI volume  and thickness historical records no longer appear to give us even a short=term comparison..

This shows volume to be in 9th position in the last 16 years. A rebound form the previous lowest consecutive 5 lowest years.

Hopefully more multi year ice will be around after the summer melt season, which will be necessary in order to turn this rebound into more of a recovery.

MIA

[claret047]

I wasn't sure whether to post the following here or on the model thread.

Being a novice the current rather boring weather with no WAA going up into the arctic around a Greenland High, should we be grateful looking at the wider picture that the set up we have been enjoying of mostly benign weather has helped the arctic to have one of the best build ups of ice looking back over several years and if this pattern continues could help to an extent nullify the impact of climate change

. Also, does anyone know how things are looking as far as the Antarctic is concerned with summer melt. Are things as good down there as far as  climate change is concerned?  Is it still having a considerable impact?.

Kind Regards

Dave

[Bradley in Kent]

6 hours ago, claret047 said:

I wasn't sure whether to post the following here or on the model thread.

Being a novice the current rather boring weather with no WAA going up into the arctic around a Greenland High, should we be grateful looking at the wider picture that the set up we have been enjoying of mostly benign weather has helped the arctic to have one of the best build ups of ice looking back over several years and if this pattern continues could help to an extent nullify the impact of climate change

. Also, does anyone know how things are looking as far as the Antarctic is concerned with summer melt. Are things as good down there as far as  climate change is concerned?  Is it still having a considerable impact?.

Kind Regards

Dave

Good evening,

I don't know whether overall interest in the Northern Hemisphere is higher because the Southern Hemisphere is less variable, or because Antarctica is a distant continent the other side of the world!

According to NSIDC it's been running below average, but nearly all the ice melts away every summer anyway. Depending on winds, some winters can be more extensive as was the record high year of 2014. However like the Arctic some areas are losing a lot of ice particularly the Antarctic Peninsula. 

I haven't researched this but I don't think weather or events in Antarctica have much (if any) impact on our neck of the woods. The NSIDC website is a good place for Antarctic updates (via blue button pop up on the right):

Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis | Sea ice data updated daily with one-day lag

NSIDC.ORG

 

I'm not just saying this to be polite; The NSIDC is good for its monthly round ups and inclusion of Antarctica, but I prefer here for the supply of stats and insight as well as more detailed charts. 

One could start a Southern Hemisphere snow and ice thread, but I think it'll soon slip back to older pages!

 

 

[Midlands Ice Age]

12 minutes ago, Bradley in Kent said:

Good evening,

I don't know whether overall interest in the Northern Hemisphere is higher because the Southern Hemisphere is less variable, or because Antarctica is a distant continent the other side of the world!

According to NSIDC it's been running below average, but nearly all the ice melts away every summer anyway. Depending on winds, some winters can be more extensive as was the record high year of 2014. However like the Arctic some areas are losing a lot of ice particularly the Antarctic Peninsula. 

I haven't researched this but I don't think weather or events in Antarctica have much (if any) impact on our neck of the woods. The NSIDC website is a good place for Antarctic updates (via blue button pop up on the right):

Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis | Sea ice data updated daily with one-day lag

NSIDC.ORG

 

I'm not just saying this to be polite; The NSIDC is good for its monthly round ups and inclusion of Antarctica, but I prefer here for the supply of stats and insight as well as more detailed charts. 

One could start a Southern Hemisphere snow and ice thread, but I think it'll soon slip back to older pages!

 

 

Bradley...

I was going to include a resume on the Antarctic sea ice at my next Arctic Sea Ice review....

You are correct the Antarctic SEA ICE melt is trending down a little bit below normal at the moment.

After a refreeze season (up to Oct) it has shown a melt faster  than most seasons, but it is way above the 2 lowest melt years.

However, it needs to be realized that the Antarctic continent underwent its coldest refreeze during its winter freeze, and infact was the lowest seen for the last few decades, and at that point the sea ice  was in a good position.

Also be careful to distinguish (and be clear) between  ice and sea ice. 

Whilst each season the SEA ICE  nearly completely clears out, and has done every year for as long as we remember.  ICE extents and volumes on the continent of Antartica itself are virtually unchanged.

MIA 

[Midlands Ice Age]

Arctic Sea Ice exceeds 14,000K Km2 with a sudden large general increase. 

Snow cover sees little change in Europe but has moved southwards in North America.

 

Masie sea ice extent has been variable for the last week, with daily changes of (-43K, +17K, +92K,-39K,  +6K,+1K and today +151K) to go over 14,000K Km2 by 3K Km2, This is the earliest since the infamous season of 20011/12 and before that 2007/8.

Day to day change was apparent in all sea areas except the Bering (+90K) refreeze, which continues unabated.

   

Next in importance is Barents sea ice  (-29K) which has started to expand again in the last 2 days with (+51K).

Also a similar effect was seen in Baffin (+81K) and the SOO (-41K),  which is still awaiting the next cold wave to enter it. 

Barents had a similar recovery (-21K),with gains of (+51K) after losses in the first 5 days. 

 

 

Baltic lost a half of its extent (-45K) in the last week as the month long freeze in Scandinavia loosened its grip.

However Greenland  (+97K) finally had ice through the Fram as depressions finally manged to transfer across Iceland into the Svalbard vicinity.

       

The final phase on the Northern refreeze 2021/22 winter freeze is now underway.

Depressions are now forecast to pass over Iceland into the Svalbard vicinity.  Will this change the freezing conditions in the basin?. It still looks as if it will remain cold.

      

We are now at the stage when we need to see cold outbreaks from the locked up cold in the Arctic..... if this years very good freeze season is to be sustained into spring...

 

 

Meanwhile down in the Antarctic we are in the final part of the ice melt season. 

Thanks to the ASIF      -

       

A fairly average melt season down there. with extent at 4th lowest. .

See you next week,unless things change noticeably.

 

MIA

Edited January 18, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[Wheezer]

[Midlands Ice Age]

Thanks for the above Wheezer.

...The growth in Bering this year has been  very pleasing and is close to setting new highs for this century,.

Reasons are clearly the very cold winter being 'enjoyed' by the people in Siberia(still), and Russia in general,  and also the North west of North America (easing off a bit now). 

 

I was going to post today anyway, as a 'potential' game-changer is happening today within the Arctic basin.

The effects of this (a near record breaking low pressure for January centered between Svalbard and the Russian Islands), having moved out From Greenland itself and undergone rapid cyclo-genisys.

Unlike many deep depressions, and since it formed over and around Greenland,  it has not resulted in a major pulse of warm air being imported into the basin. The temperatures are still below -10C even in the warmest parts.

Today's reports show it getting down to about 932/4 mbars about now.

I am not aware of a deeper January storm this century, and comes after months of high pressure has been dominating the Arctic..

So what are the impacts of this mighty beast at this time of year?

I must say I have no idea.. 

Before we see what does happen, I thought I'd give a review of where we currently stand, (6 days since my last one), and then see if any changes occur.

Well the Masie sea ice extent has moved up to 14,204K Km2 now,  (+201K Km2 )in the last 6 days, which at an average of +35K per today,  is about average forthis time of year.

The growth has not been uniform though with (+53K, -85K, +71K, +39K and finally today (+23K) following on from the +151K recorded last monday.

This has been due to much chopping  and changing in the Outer Areas.

Greenland has benefited (+36K) due to the afore mentioned low pressure sweeping across the area, and increasing the Fram flow. 

Barents growth has substantially slowed  (+16K, +58K, -45K, +2K, -2K and -3K) as the low hits the area. 

Presumably the high winds (100mph?) are compressing and moving the ice here.

Bering has continued its steady growth (+18K) and is still looking to move out to the Aleutian Isles. 

Baffin over the last few days has started to ice over past St Johns and on into the Gulf of Labrador, (+151K).

Baltic has stopped its melt period and has increased by (+11K) over the last few days.

Elsewhere the promised rapid refreeze in the SOO has started in the last couple of days (+59K), and may well be starting a big refreeze as it is the only sea area below average for the time of year.

 

 

So what will be the result of this massive storm?

I think it may not harm the ice extents too much, since it has now moved past Svalbard, and this will result in the pack being shunted to the south west as the winds move around to the North in the Svalbard area. However the main ice pack may well get pushed away  from the mainland Russian coastline for a while as the south westerly winds take over there.

It will clearly cause much fracture and movement within the ice pack, but it has to be seen whether this will cause much change to the volume of ice. Most of the pack seems to be now in the order of 1 metre thickness in the area, so it may will withstand much of the pounding going on above it. Is it going to be worse/ better than a huge 'vortex' sat over the area?

So all in all  .... this is an interesting development for ice watchers which may well teach us  a little more about ice characteristics going forward.

MIA

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[Midlands Ice Age]

Massive changes in Arctic Sea Ice...   

A result of one of the deepest January depressions ever recorded.

Masie sea Ice extent today recorded an apparently mundane extent increase of (+21K).

However behind it there is a whole lot of freezing and melting  (shaking) going on.  

Barents....... with the depression sat over the top, it lost (-94K),    following on from the (-38k) yesterday,  The Arctic ice front was pushed back as far as the Severnia Islands, by the SW storm-force winds. (and even past them into Kara (-2K)).  The withdrawal of the main pack also  led to a (-4K) deficit in the C.A.Basin.

However,    there was a rapid movement of the ice into Greenland for the first time this year as the Fram finally found a N Easterly  to build up the ice.  (+47K)

Baffin also found some impetus and added (+34K), as Newfoundland entered its real winter for the first time.

With Bering (+8K) continuing its very steady refreeze, the SOO (+42K), has now taken up the running over in the East.

 

So Day1  of the big depression saw the large sea ice loss in Barents nullified by  steady gains elsewhere.

Expansion of the  outer sea areas  at today's rate looks promising to me for when the storm fills in (already at an expected 947Mlbars today), and then when  Barents will rapidly re-ice again.. 

                    

 

MIA

Edited January 25, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[Midlands Ice Age]

A brief status update on the 2022 great depression..   (Day 2)

It is filling in now, (958 mbars), but it seems to have stalled over White Islands (50miles due N East of Svalbard).
This leaves the Barents open to the attack of the SWesterlies right up to the Franz Joseph land island Group, allowing the ice to move offshore there.

It also should be realized that the famous GAC (Great Arctic Cyclone) of August 2012  (from memory), only dropped to a minimum of about 966Mbars. It managed to 'savage' the ice that year, but was in the melt season. It also centered on Barents.

Thanks to the ASIF...

https://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3648.0;attach=332566;image  

Also,  Jaxa has reported 2 days of losses (-70K and -38K), presumably as a result of the losses in Barents, so it will be interesting to see, what this means in terms of the overall area changes within all areas, when Masie is issued later on today.

Latest SLP chart from CR..

MIA

Edited January 26, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[johncam]

2 hours ago, Midlands Ice Age said:

A brief status update on the 2022 great depression..   (Day 2)

It is filling in now, (958 mbars), but it seems to have stalled over White Islands (50miles due N East of Svalbard).
This leaves the Barents open to the attack of the SWesterlies right up to the Franz Joseph land island Group, allowing the ice to move offshore there.

It also should be realized that the famous GAC (Great Arctic Cyclone) of August 2012  (from memory), only dropped to a minimum of about 966Mbars. It managed to 'savage' the ice that year, but was in the melt season. It also centered on Barents.

Thanks to the ASIF...

https://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3648.0;attach=332566;image  

Also,  Jaxa has reported 2 days of losses (-70K and -38K), presumably as a result of the losses in Barents, so it will be interesting to see, what this means in terms of the overall area changes within all areas, when Masie is issued later on today.

Latest SLP chart from CR..

MIA

Thanks MIA great report as usual , do you think now we have lost the chance of reaching the 15 , 000 K2

[Midlands Ice Age]

5 minutes ago, johncam said:

Thanks MIA great report as usual , do you think now we have lost the chance of reaching the 15 , 000 K2

It certainly will make it more difficult.

But if it fills quickly to give us more 'slack' conditions then it will not make that much difference as the ice losses in Barents will quickly recover, and depending upon which way it now moves could still drag more ice down into Barents from the pack..   

The question for 15,000K  is more, whether or not,  we continue to get cold weather in the 'outer'areas. Those of Baffin, Bering, and the SOO in particular will decide I think..  

I will be watching this afternoons Masie with even more interest than usual.

Your question has encouraged me to look at the amount of ice in those outer areas compared to the max seen say over the last 5 years. That will give a better perspective than a straight guess.  I will report back later.

MIA

 

[johncam]

Just now, Midlands Ice Age said:

It certainly will make it more difficult.

But if it fills quickly to give us more 'slack' conditions then it will not make that much difference as the ice losses in Barents will quickly recover, and depending upon which way it now moves could still drag more ice down into Barents from the pack..   

The question for 15,000K  is more, whether or not,  we continue to get cold weather in the 'outer'areas. Those of Baffin, Bering, and the SOO in particular will decide I think..  

I will be watching this afternoons Masie with even more interest than usual.

Your question has encouraged me to look at the amount of ice in those outer areas compared to the max seen say over the last 5 years. That will give a better perspective than a straight guess.  I will report back later.

MIA

 

Thanks MIA 

[Midlands Ice Age]

Masie has updated with a drop of (-72K Km2), to give a total extent of 14,190K Km2.

A s per my previous post,  the depression continues to blow the ice around particularly in Barents (-30K) and this has now spread into Kara (-12K),

The hole around Franz Joseph has increased in size and joined up with the open water north of Svalbard.

Elsewhere there were smaller reductions of ice   in Bering (-8K) and CAB (-4K) and also Baltic (-15K).

A small increase was reported in Greenland (+3K) and the SOO (+7K).

So some continued losses caused by the deep depression are still being seen..

As to whether or not we can still reach 15,000K Km2 this year, and assuming that extent will increase again inside the basin, I have examined the ice growth in the outer areas over the last 5 years.

 

Year             Barents          Baffin                  Bering                 Baltic                    SOO             Max extent in year (all  at max extent date)             

2018          692K Km2      1509K Km2         350K Km2            124 K Km2          1133K Km2                  14556K Km2

2019          823                    1646                   349                        60                        1253                              14951   

2020           775                    1491                   823                       113                      1138                              14869 

2021           864                     1300                   638                      119                       1219                             14741

2022            603                    1242                    791                      61                         643                               14190 

Average       792                     1489                  500                      85                          1200                           ????? 

The above figures are typically for the 2nd week of March so there is still more time for increases or decreases.

So comparing this years likely maximum based upon this years current figures, indicates that we are currently about 200K Km2 short of making 15,000K Km2.

However -

1) we are already well over the 5year average for Bering, How much more will be added?

2) the SOO is well below average and we will need a good refreeze from here until the first week of March.

3) Baffin is now showing signs of reflecting the cold developing in North America,and may add more 'than average'.   

Still about 50/50 in my opinion.

MIA

 

                       

[Midlands Ice Age]

Last day of impacts of the Great January depression ?

Masie extent dropped by a small 16K Km2 today to a total of 14,174K KM2.

In addition, Jaxa also recorded a positive (+20K Km2) , as the depression filled further (974mbars) and moved slowly eastwards into the Kara/ESS boundary.

The overall affect is a total drop of (-192K) in Barents, Kara(-46K), CAB (-52K) and Baltic (-17K), according to Masie..

Gains in Greenland (+60K), cushioned some of the losses.

However, a quick rebound can now be expected in at least CAB and  Kara,  and Barents has now also time to rebuild now that winds over the area have moved to the N East bringing a return of the very cold Arctic temperatures.

The losses of around 250K Km2 in total, will make the coveted 15,000K Km2 much more difficult to attain. But still not impossible.

Volume (depth) in the area, will however be more impacted, making the ice melt more threatening  in the spring.

MIA

[Midlands Ice Age]

Masie starts the first day of recovery after the deep depression.

Low fills to 989 M bars as it drifts into the Kara and CAB

It has certainly removed the majority of the resident high pressure which has been in charge for so long.

Masie rose by (+52K Km2) to 14,225K Km2, despite further ice break up in Kara (- 13K) and the CAB (-12K).  Greenland (-17K) also fell today as the winds in Fram abated.

Barents however started its recovery(+31K) ,as expected at this time of year, and there were continued gains outside,  in Baffin (+32K), and the SOO (+27K),which have been unaffected by the cyclone.

There was also a slight recovery in Baltic of (+3K).

So it looks as if the major low has been relatively benign in terms of  on sea ice extent, but effects may be more obvious in terms of the malt(?? - perhaps melt as well!) in the spring.

 Latest from JAXA (which also started rising again), to show the overall impact -  (thanks to the ASIF)

 

        

The lessons learnt may be that a powerful vortex over the Barents in winter will not be too dramatic , however whilst probably good for UK cold, may well have resulted in overall  reductions in ice cover over the years.

 MIA 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[Midlands Ice Age]

If yesterday was the recuperation day for the Sea Ice after the depression then today was full the full recovery day. 

As I suggested, the inner Arctic extent would quickly recover from its extent losses.

This happened yesterday with a total  extent gain of nearly 200K Km2.

Masie  rocketed back up to a new high for the year of 14,404K Km2, an increase of (+179K Km2).  With further 'easy' ice recovery after the depression, to come in calmer conditions within the Basin, I can now see further above average gains occuring. 

Top rating goes to Barents (+41K), which was expected, but Kara is also healing quickly (+12K). The Central (CAB) also had a big hole torn in it but also recovered by (+35K) as the winds turned to the N East again. So that is a gain of (+88K) in the 'low' affected area,  so it is quickly making up the losses.

However, better for the medium term prospects and the chances of 15,000M KM2,  are that the 'Outer' sea areas all turned highly positive.

Greenland gained (+33K), Baffin (+25K), Bering added (+23K), the SOO (+19K) and even the Baltic (+5K), all sprang back into life.  

This adds  up to (+125K).

At this time of year we normally expect about 40K Km2 increase. So even this, is way above average.

 

The Barents and KARA are primed for increase again now.

The middle row of Greenland, SOO and Baffin are in line for increases 

The bottom row  of Bering (already very high) and Central look to increase but would appear to be somewhat limited by the maximum extent.

High Pressure is now taking over in the Central Arctic again,  and the temperatures appear to be falling again.

  

          

 

Whilst, the Arctic DMI temperatures  fluctuated a bit wildly during the passage of the Great January Depression, no really mild air managed to get into the Basin.

So it now looks as if the ice freeze has gone back to the trend it has being shown for the last  month.

MIA

 

    

[BornFromTheVoid]

Laptev Sea ice area at record lows under the southerly winds associated with the Barents depressions. Lots of sea ice drift occurring north of Scandinavia.

 

[Midlands Ice Age]

Thanks BFTV.

I had noticed that Laptev had lifted off according to Bremen , however on the latest chart supplied by Masie (below) it was not showing ....

 

and also did not show up on the extent chart...

So ,  a couple (or so) of points...

1) A record low sounds 'serious',  but it is very hard to make it out on the  graph you supplied above.

2) Temps in the area are still around -10C max and -30C minimum, so I cant see the lift-off lasting too long at this time of year, without a refreeze occuring.

3) This is not 'melting', and so will result in the ice becoming more compacted. 

It does show  that the impact of the low stretched from Greenland (increases via Fram) and the Northern Russian coastline even as far away as the Laptev are being observed. I think I did mention the lift off from the Russian coastline before this low hit as one of the probable consequences. 

PS It has also happened around the Gulf of Murmansk, and more generally in the western Russian coastline, and even in the Baltic (where it has melted quite a bit)..

However if Northerly winds return it  will blow this compacted ice back on to the shoreline, and it will soon refreeze.

I still think that the increased flow of some of the thicker ice (via Fram)  will have more longer term impact on the condition of the ice.. 

MIA 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[Midlands Ice Age]

Weekly update...

Steady though highly variable increase in ice extent.

Since last week, when the cyclone reduced the ice between Svalbard and Kara,we have seen the sea ice just recover.

Total Masie sea ice extent today is at 14,678K Km2,up from 14,485K Km2  6 days ago (+183K). Successive changes of  (+114K, +11K, -47K, +21K, +59K, +31K and 0K), brought a slight slow down, but the ice etent is still well above most previous years for the date. 

  

Area's have performed as expected with Barents still to catch up the main drag on the extents.  (+60K), although back up to its pre-cyclone figures. Will it go onto increase further?

Kara (+12K) continued until it filled up again.

Greenland (-55K) lost its cyclone gains again. 

Baffin (+134K) has been the biggest gainer and has continued to move into the Gulf of Labrador.

 CAB (Central) gained (+5K) as the gap to the North of Svalbard closed.

Bering lost (-30K) as stronger winds buffeted the Kamchatka Islands, whilst the colder weather in the Baltic encouraged growth (+31K) in both the Gulfs of of Finland and Bothnia.

 Little growth was recorded in the SOO(+2K).

So currently the growth has stalled and we will need more expansion in Barents, SOO, Bering and Baffin if we are to achieve the target of 15,000K Km2 this year. There is still 4 weeks until, normally, the ice peaks.

Jaxa has remained steady, until today, when a 'technical' drop (malfunction of satellite data), has reduced to 15th out of the last 17 years.

 

Whilst NSIDC (5day average) showed it as 17th in the last 18 years - 

 

Only a small difference now from the average for the 2000's!! 

MIA

 

[Northwest NI]

34 minutes ago, Midlands Ice Age said:

Weekly update...

Steady though highly variable increase in ice extent.

Since last week, when the cyclone reduced the ice between Svalbard and Kara,we have seen the sea ice just recover.

Total Masie sea ice extent today is at 14,678K Km2,up from 14,485K Km2  6 days ago (+183K). Successive changes of  (+114K, +11K, -47K, +21K, +59K, +31K and 0K), brought a slight slow down, but the ice etent is still well above most previous years for the date. 

  

Area's have performed as expected with Barents still to catch up the main drag on the extents.  (+60K), although back up to its pre-cyclone figures. Will it go onto increase further?

Kara (+12K) continued until it filled up again.

Greenland (-55K) lost its cyclone gains again. 

Baffin (+134K) has been the biggest gainer and has continued to move into the Gulf of Labrador.

 CAB (Central) gained (+5K) as the gap to the North of Svalbard closed.

Bering lost (-30K) as stronger winds buffeted the Kamchatka Islands, whilst the colder weather in the Baltic encouraged growth (+31K) in both the Gulfs of of Finland and Bothnia.

 Little growth was recorded in the SOO(+2K).

So currently the growth has stalled and we will need more expansion in Barents, SOO, Bering and Baffin if we are to achieve the target of 15,000K Km2 this year. There is still 4 weeks until, normally, the ice peaks.

Jaxa has remained steady, until today, when a 'technical' drop (malfunction of satellite data), has reduced to 15th out of the last 17 years.

 

Whilst NSIDC (5day average) showed it as 17th in the last 18 years - 

 

Only a small difference now from the average for the 2000's!! 

MIA

 

Excellent summary MIA again. Thanks  

[johncam]

Sea ice going backwards again , not looking good at all 

[Midlands Ice Age]

On 14/02/2022 at 17:08, johncam said:

Sea ice going backwards again , not looking good at all 

A lesson for you... Never take 1 days values in isolation when looking at ice extent.

The satellites are known to be prone to missing 'sweeps' and as they get older they are less reliable..

Take 2 or 3 days or so to see any real change in the conditions.  

I must admit though the Arctic temperatures above 80 degree North does not look great.

 

It is the first time that the temperatures have risen substantially  this winter season. 

A view of the pressure charts shows the change which has caused this to happen....

 

For the first time this season low pressure is dominating the Arctic Basin.

This has enabled the temperature rise, and also allowing much movement in the ice...  

My 7-day update is due ...

MIA

[johncam]

12 minutes ago, Midlands Ice Age said:

A lesson for you... Never take 1 days values in isolation when looking at ice extent.

The satellites are known to be prone to missing 'sweeps' and as they get older they are less reliable..

Take 2 or 3 days or so to see any real change in the conditions.  

I must admit though the Arctic temperatures above 80 degree North does not look great.

 

It is the first time that the temperatures have risen substantially  this winter season. 

A view of the pressure charts shows the change which has caused this to happen....

 

For the first time this season low pressure is dominating the Arctic Basin.

This has enabled the temperature rise, and also allowing much movement in the ice...  

My 7-day update is due ...

MIA

Thanks MIA , just seen the difference from yesterday till today , will heed your advice,  

Cheers 

John 

[Midlands Ice Age]

Bang on cue, Masie today records a huge (record for the time of year) over double century increase of 251K Km2.

However  this follows on losses reported in the last few days, so I suspect an adjustment again in the next few days.

 

Masie sea ice extent up to 14,771K Km2 an increase of (+97K Km2) since my last update,.

This has happened after a very erratic week of daily changes of (0K, -122K, 0K, +74K, +5K, +24K, -175K, +40K and the massive +251K). 

Probably the most volatile data that I have seen. and probably caused by satellite malfunctions.

Most gains were in Bering (+46K), and the SOO (+25K), though Barents just managed a gain of +7K.

Baffin remained static, and there were slight losses in the smaller sea areas.

Overall Masie sea ice extent still remains strong  ...

With 2 -3 weeks to go to the end of the end of the ice regrowth season it is now touch and go whether we can reach 15,000K Km2, but this season continues to surprise on the upward side. 

MIA

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by Midlands Ice Age

[nobble]

1 hour ago, Midlands Ice Age said:

Bang on cue, Masie today records a huge (record for the time of year) over double century increase of 251K Km2.

However  this follows on losses reported in the last few days, so I suspect an adjustment again in the next few days.

 

Masie sea ice extent up to 14,771K Km2 an increase of (+97K Km2) since my last update,.

This has happened after a very erratic week of daily changes of (0K, -122K, 0K, +74K, +5K, +24K, -175K, +40K and the massive +251K). 

Probably the most volatile data that I have seen. and probably caused by satellite malfunctions.

Most gains were in Bering (+46K), and the SOO (+25K), though Barents just managed a gain of +7K.

Baffin remained static, and there were slight losses in the smaller sea areas.

Overall Masie sea ice extent still remains strong  ...

With 2 -3 weeks to go to the end of the end of the ice regrowth season it is now touch and go whether we can reach 15,000K Km2, but this season continues to surprise on the upward side. 

MIA

 

Depending on weather conditions isn’t it possible to have re-freeze up till 20 Th march is ? 
either way although not record breaking or great this is a good re freeze season in comparison to the last 10 ? 
some strange weather patterns about this winter !!