However, the minimal growth of Antarctic sea ice extent makes a mockery of claims being made by climate science deniers as recently as last month. A favorite tactic of climate science deniers is to claim that the growth in Antarctic sea ice extent offsets the decline in Arctic sea ice extent. And while this type of comparison was misleading even when the Antarctic sea ice extent was expanding, it is downright absurd this month in which the Antarctic sea ice extent has returned back to it average extent during 1981-2010.
While Antarctic sea ice extent has been flat lining during a winter period when it usually expands, Arctic sea ice extent has been melting faster during the past few weeks than it did during the most recent couple of years.
It seem ludicrous that Christopher Booker of The Telegraph was claiming "How Arctic ice has made fools of all those poor warmists" back on July 25, 2015. In his article, Booker made of point of indicating Arctic sea ice extent was higher in 2015 than in 2013 and 2014. Well, as one can see from the image below, Arctic sea ice in 2015 has been both above and below that of the previous two years over the course of this year. However, on the date Booker published his article, Arctic sea ice extent was already trending lower than the previous two years, and has stayed lower throughout August. In fact, based on the current trend, it seems likely that 2015 Arctic sea ice extent summer melt minimum will be the 5th lowest in recorded history, and well below the levels of 2013 and 2014. He also made the spurious argument that Antarctic sea ice growth counterbalanced Arctic sea ice declines. Well, that claim goes up in smoke due the sudden halt in expansion of Antarctic sea ice extent this month.
Time will tell whether the increase in Antarctic sea ice extent has come to a halt. It would not be surprising if there is some increase of the ice extent during September or early October, the period when Antarctic sea ice extent reaches it's annual winter maximum. However, it is not unreasonable to speculate that Antarctic sea ice extent may have returned back to its average range.
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" However, it is not unreasonable to speculate that Antarctic sea ice extent may have returned back to its average range. "
ReplyDeleteI would go FURTHER than that. I think it is NOT unreasonable, to think that because of the warming SST's (sea surface temperatures).....especially in an El Nino year....that the warming equatorial waters of the Pacific are being "pulled down" to the Antarctic by the Southern Equatorial current....where they are beginning to effect the Antarctic sea ice.
This will be watched CLOSELY over the next several months.....but there are going to be some VERY WORRED SCIENTISTS if the Antarctic sea ice extent continues on its current path.
http://climatechangegraphs.blogspot.com/2012/08/arctic-sea-ice-volume-extent-charts_30.html