86 degrees in the Arctic - really!

[ensho]

http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/08/vast-expanses-of-arctic-melting-fast/


Vast expanses of Arctic melting fast
Vast expanses of Arctic ice melt in summer heat
Vast expanses of Arctic sea ice melt in northern summer; `the kids were swimming in the ocean'



The Arctic Ocean has given up tens of thousands more square miles (square kilometers) of ice on Sunday in a relentless summer of melt, with scientists watching through satellite eyes for a possible record low polar ice cap.

-snip-

Global average temperatures rose 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 degree Celsius) in the past century, but Arctic temperatures rose twice as much or even faster, almost certainly in good part because of manmade greenhouse gases, researchers say.

In late July the mercury soared to almost 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) in this settlement of 900 Inuvialuit, the name for western Arctic Eskimos.

"The water was really warm," Gruben said. "The kids were swimming in the ocean."

-snip-

At a global conference last March in Copenhagen, scientists declared that climate change is occurring faster than had been anticipated, citing the fast-dying Arctic cap as one example. A month later, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted Arctic summers could be almost ice-free within 30 years, not at the century's end as earlier predicted.
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tick

[FarCenter]

1. The Northeast Passage from Europe to Asia via Siberian coast is almost open

See

Actually, the remaining ice around Novaya Zemyla is already very broken and is not at all solid. The < 15% coverage criteria should be met in that area in a few days.

[Kashka-Kat]

2. Expected to be ice-free during summers 50 yrs from now - how on earth can anyone

argue with THAT????? What do you do with people who insist that just because its snowing in some places that means there's no global warming.

[Subdivisions]

7. Sooner than 50 years methinks. n/t

[dana_b]

10. because people believe what they want to

and what directly affects them. "It's cool today - global warming is b.s.!". However they don't bother to look at the earth as a whole or do any reading about it.

I still say that if we think the economy is bad now, just wait 20+ years.

[demodonkey]

3. Well, OK, but Pittsburgh just had our 1st 90-degree day of the year on Sunday....

...it has been a cold, wet, and generally miserable summer here.

Not saying that means there's not global warming, just sayin'.

[northernlights]

8. climate models have already shown that the poles will be most affected

And there is a reason the phrase "global warming" was changed to "global climate change."

The *annual average* global temperature is rising, but different regions are impacted differently. In general, arid areas will become more arid (desertification). Wet areas will become wetter. Storms will become more violent. The ocean will become deeper and less salty. Everything will become more extreme.

[progressoid]

4. "The kids were swimming in the ocean."

Wow

[swishyfeet]

5. "The water was really warm"

My ass. These kids have a rather distorted sense of warmth me thinks.

Down here in the relative tropics of 45 degrees N latitude the Pacific was numbingly cold this weekend. As it always is.

[Subdivisions]

6. tick, indeed. K&R. n/t

[lpbk2713]

9. Good luck to Boston, NYC, Miami ...

and all the other coastal towns and cities.

[Junkdrawer]

11. The lakes in Northern Canada and Siberia are a big worry...

If they start off-gassing methane in large quantities, it's all over but the shouting.

[Uncle Joe]

12. I agree, that will turbo charge global warming climate change.

:(

[FarCenter]

13. Siberia is the key

Northern Canada has been cool. The warmer air has been over Alaska and Siberia. Siberia is a huge expanse of permafrost, which may be thawing out. This releases methane trapped in the permafrost, and the decay of organic material generates carbon dioxide.