“Studies in recent years have shown that the Arctic is warming much more rapidly than the rest of the planet due to feedback from the loss of sea ice
—so it is not surprising that we are seeing these all-time record temperatures at high latitudes,”
says independent meteorologist Alan Gerard.
It’s a dangerous feedback loop:
as sea ice melts, the Arctic reflects less sunlight,
and the ocean absorbs more heat.
This generates even more sea ice loss.
The region is warming as much as four times faster than the rest of the world.
Rising temperatures are unlikely to let up anytime soon, Gerard says,
thanks to a strong El Niño expected this year.
An El Niño year is characterized by abnormally high ocean temperatures in the Pacific,
which can unleash climate chaos elsewhere
—causing heavy rainfall in some areas and drought in others
—as well as driving up temperatures.
“With the building potentially record El Niño,
it is likely that in 2027 we will see even more record heat than we are seeing this year,” Gerard says.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/its-90-degrees-in-the-arctic-right-now/
