The Poles are especially hit hard by global warming and climate change. As the climate gets warmer, scientists say that ice will melt faster in the Poles. This is already happening and global warming is real, as sea ice hits a new low last November.
High air temperatures and a warm ocean have contributed to sea ice being fewer in the Arctic. Wind patterns have also shifted, which further lessened the chance for much ice to form. The Antarctic has experienced the same situation last month.
Arctic ice did grow a bit faster than average, but even with that slightly faster growth, it was still not enough to overcome a warm sea. The decrease in sea ice is said to be approximately 50,000 square kilometers. This decrease is seen in the Barents Sea, Finland and Eastern Russia. An area north of Norway has also been observed to be experiencing lesser ice.
In 2013 the Arctic had a smaller ice retreat, which covered around 14,000 square kilometers. However, for 2016 it is already now the seventh month that the Arctic has a record low in ice. Scientists are monitoring it, and do expect that there would be an increase in ice coverage as winter approaches.
Sea surface temperature has been high, which has reached as much as four degrees Celsius above normal in Novaya Zemlya and Svalbard. This has prevented ice from forming, according to the University of Colorado Boulder's site. The Antarctic is in the same situation, with sea ice also suffering a decline.
Just like in the Arctic, the Antarctic also has high air temperatures and a warming ocean. Air temperature is around two to four degrees higher than normal, as Science Daily reports. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) lead scientist Ted Scambos said that they will look into the situation more closely to see how this has happened.
Climate change continues to make changes in the Poles. Sea ice is not covering them much as they should. Global warming is real. Sea ice has hit a new low last November, and might continue to be so with global warming. A study confirms this, as it said that the Antarctic has already warmed faster in the past.
