Scientists are floored by what鈥檚 happening in the Arctic right now
Mark Serreze interviewed for article in
Unusual Arctic heat has been accompanied by a new record low level for Arctic sea ice extent during the normally ice-packed month of January, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center 鈥 over 400,000 square miles below average for the month. And of course, that is closely tied to warm Arctic air temperatures.
鈥淲e鈥檝e looked at the average January temperatures, and we look at what we call the 925 millibar level, about 3,000 feet up in the atmosphere,鈥 says Mark Serreze, the center鈥檚 director. 鈥淎nd it was, I would say, absurdly warm across the entire Arctic Ocean.鈥 The center reports temperature anomalies at this altitude of 鈥渕ore than 6 degrees Celsius (13 degrees Fahrenheit) above average鈥 for the month.
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