Climate change 'irreversible' as Arctic sea ice fails to re-form

Climate change 'irreversible' as Arctic sea ice fails to re-form

Sea ice in the Arctic has failed to re-form for the second consecutive winter, raising fears that global warming may have tipped the polar regions in to irreversible climate change far sooner than predicted.

Satellite measurements of the area of the Arctic covered by sea ice show that for every month this winter, the ice failed to return even to its long-term average rate of decline. It is the second consecutive winter that the sea ice has not managed to re-form enough to compensate for the unprecedented melting seen during the past few summers.

Scientists are now convinced that Arctic sea ice is showing signs of both a winter and a summer decline that could indicate a major acceleration in its long-term rate of disappearance. The greatest fear is that an environmental "positive feedback" has kicked in, where global warming melts ice which in itself causes the seas to warm still further as more sunlight is absorbed by a dark ocean rather than being reflected by white ice.

More...

We are so hosed...

Actually, what they're saying is that because more sea ice melted than usual last summer, and because - due to purely natural climatic variation - it's not been quite as cold in the arctic for much of the winter, a little less sea ice has formed than forms most winter

You can compare the sea ice extent, month by month here

The general trend year on year towards less sea ice probably is due to regional climatic change (which may or may not be caused by CO2 ) - however the fact that less sea ice formed this year than usual may well be more down to the current status of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation than anything else.

The Independant is know for it's alarmist GW Headlines and frankly the first line of that article is completely untrue.....

Winter warmest ever on record in Canada

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TORONTO -- The winter of 2005-2006 has been Canada's warmest on record and the federal agency Environment Canada said Monday it was investigating whether it's a sign of global warming.

Between December and February, the country was 3.9 degrees above normal - the warmest winter season since temperatures were first recorded in 1948. Environment Canada climatologist Bob Whitewood said it smashed the previous record set in 1987 by 0.9 degrees.
seattlepi.nwsource.com...

Further down in that same story:

It was especially balmy in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, where temperatures were 6 to 8 degrees above normal.

In many ways this could be good for Canada in the short term by giving us a longer growing season for crops. This will also open a northern passage for shipping through the Canadian Arctic and allow for shipping year round on the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes.
As the permafrost line moves further north due to melting the trees will follow north as well.

Here is a clip from a story posted in 2002:

Ottawa, March 7, 2002 - This winter was the warmest on record for Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec, according to Environment Canada weather experts. The rest of Canada also saw unusually mild temperatures this winter, making this the 19th consecutive season above normal since the summer of 1997. Environment Canada records for the months of December, January and February indicate that:

* The winter in Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec was the warmest since national records began in 1948. The average temperature was 4.8 °C above normal, an amazing departure from average conditions.
www.ec.gc.ca...

I sure see a trend developing here, and yet Environment Canada is going to spend a year studying the most recent data to determine if this really is a trend.
Perhaps the reality will set in when the first major city is inundated by the rising oceans, but then it will be too late to do anything about it.

Can I be the first to predict that waders will be a fashionable item in 2050.

Buy stock now to get in on the ground floor.

(Actually it will be the second floor due to rising water)