The sea ice surrounding Antarctica, which, as I reported in my book, has been steadily increasing throughout the period of satellite measurement that began in 1979, has hit a new all-time record high for areal coverage.
The new record anomaly for Southern Hemisphere sea ice, the ice encircling the southernmost continent, is 2.074 million square kilometers and was posted for the first time by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s The Cryosphere Today early Sunday morning.
The previous record anomaly for Southern Hemisphere sea ice area was 1.840 million square kilometers and occurred on December 20, 2007.
Global sea ice area, as of Sunday morning, stood at 1.005 million square kilometers above average.
More here: http://talkingabouttheweather.wordpress.com/2014/06/29/antarctica-sets-new-record-for-sea-ice/
And also at the WUWT Sea ice page: http://wattsupwiththat.com/reference-pages/sea-ice-page/
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I thought the Arctic pack was growing but Antarctic was shrinking! That’s what the Warmists told me anyway.
With low sunspot counts the ice grows. But, there is an active volcano under the western part of the north and south ice packs maybe three, they wont talk about that warming the water below and melting ice. its not the air. its the sea floor and lava. sssshhh.. dont tell anyone.
Don’t be a contrary douche, Bill P. I’d say that this is a welcome piece of research, and one that should be studied fully, because it’s not just important that we know how much sea ice there is, it’s also important that we know how long it lasts, as that’s the real bellweather of temp changes in the region.
First, how is asking a legitimate question “being a contrary douche?”
Second, at what point do Warmists admit that, even if their warnings are correct, dismissing legitimate questions regarding how they arrived at their conclusions isn’t a “fringe thing” but actually part of scientific inquiry?
I believe Cryosphere uses Area. You mention Extent in post title.
They also use 1979-2008 as their mean. That makes Arctic look lower and Antarctic look higher.
🙂
REPLY: Right you are. While NSIDC focuses on extent, Cryosphere Today focuses on area. I’ve made the change.
What is the difference between sea ice area and extent?
Area and extent are different measures and give scientists slightly different information. Some organizations, including Cryosphere Today, report ice area; NSIDC primarily reports ice extent. Extent is always a larger number than area, and there are pros and cons associated with each method.
A simplified way to think of extent versus area is to imagine a slice of swiss cheese. Extent would be a measure of the edges of the slice of cheese and all of the space inside it. Area would be the measure of where there is cheese only, not including the holes. That is why if you compare extent and area in the same time period, extent is always bigger. A more precise explanation of extent versus area gets more complicated.
More here: http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/faq/#area_extent
-Anthony
Now that is what I call a hockey stick, Note also that we are just past mid winter down in this part of the world and there is a lot of freezing yet to come.
Data here.
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/timeseries.south.anom.1979-2008
Although the anomaly has been creeping up on the all-time record in the last few weeks, the last two days have increased by 200,000 km2 each compared to the average 85,000 km2 so it is possible there are some data issues.
But 18% above normal is not a sign of global warming, it is the opposite. To be honest, it is a little disturbing.
CAGW novice here. I have heard the claim from the alarmist camp that this surprising sea ice record is a result of the outward distribution of fresh water from the rapidly melting ice masses. How much merit does this claim have?
REPLY: Two things to note.
1. It is winter down there, and most of the continent is below freezing, as is the area outside the continent. http://www7320.nrlssc.navy.mil/GLBhycom1-12/navo/antarcsstnowcast.gif
Where would that meltwater come from?
2. This NASA article talks about the issues, and while salinity is mentioned it isn’t given much prominence.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/antarctic_melting.html
-Anthony
More ice on this Fourth Rock does not seem a very good thing to me. What happens when the sea-ice extends to the tip of South America, and cuts off the Roaring Forties? Now, THAT will have an enormous effect on global climates.
I do, however, still require ice with my vodka & tonic. Especially with the global temperatures reportedly getting out of control (/sarc)
Satellite measurements began in 1973. The period beginning in 1979 corresponds with the maximum extent in the Arctic. Cherry picking? See page 150 of the full IPCC WG1 report from 1995.
Obviously caused by Global Warming. Ban the Deniers, burn their books, remove them from Public Office.
It is all so simple, Gaia must prevail.
Absolutely freezing here tonight in Hervey Bay, Australia, on the edge of the tropics – 25 degrees south of the Equator. Could use some of that global warming.
Bill Illis
“But 18% above normal is not a sign of global warming, it is the opposite. To be honest, it is a little disturbing”
Well the ice core record for the last 500,000 years shows that our interglacial is coming towards an end and then we are looking down both barrels of the next glaciation period . Looking at that record is like one of those ‘what happens next’ movies that used to be shown in British schools in the fifties and early sixties.
In all seriousness are we privileged or just damn unlucky to be living around that turning point
And the difference is …?
Remember when Chris Turney and his flock aboard the M.V. Akademik Shokalskiy declared that the Antarctic sea ice was growing because of the excessive fresh water runoff from the fast- melting Antarctic continental ice cap? Get ready for that meme to be redeployed.
Thanks, Harold.
Regards
Goes to show you that the DEMS and GLOBAL WARMING ideologues are after TAX MONEY. Their science has a few ozone holes in it.
According to climate models, this is all predicted- sea ice will increase and increase until it reaches zero sea ice.
Gore disciples had better start praying to Mother Earth for global warming – unless of course they consider the inability to grow food for a few billion people to be a good thing.
I nominate Yancy award as today’s interweb winner!
It’s better than we thought!
Alan Robertson says:
June 29, 2014 at 7:13 am
“Remember when Chris Turney and his flock aboard the M.V. Akademik Shokalskiy declared that the Antarctic sea ice was growing because of the excessive fresh water runoff from the fast- melting Antarctic continental ice cap? Get ready for that meme to be redeployed.”
But surely if there was any shred of truth about that theory then we should see positive sea ice anomalies of the southern coast of Greenland? Same principle surely.
Sounds like a good opportunity for the global warming/climate change/whatever they nowcall themselves to claim the Antarctic freeze is locking up all the atmospheric miosture and causing worldwide droughts. When the ice melts they can claim worldwide flooding as a result of increased atmospheric moisture. No matter the weather condition, the alarmists will find a way to futher their political agenda and blame man as the cause of the disaster. I am awaiting word that earthquakes are caused by the weight of too many people. Volcanoes are caused by man cooking out doors and heating up the ground. I can see the crowds chanting “No more luaus…no more luaus”. Yeah, mankind has really screwed up the earth. The end is near. The sky is falling. The oceans willrise and everyone will die. Iam pretty sure the earth has survived dramatic changes in climate, the rise and fall of the oceans, wide spread volcanic activity with the resulting polution, hot periods, cold periods, and the beat goes on. Of course, thebeat offers opportunitiesformsny who can use emotions and distorted ‘facts’ to sell an agenda.
Take 4 mms of fresh water and put it on top of 5,000,000 mms of salty water.
What happens? Absolutely nothing.
Josh Payne says:
June 29, 2014 at 6:40 am
_________
Here’s a fascinating and very informative documentary made by NSF divers beneath the Antarctic sea ice. At one point, they show melt water pouring into the sea, where it freezes within seconds and forms underwater “ice falls”.
Bill P asks:
…at what point do Warmists admit that, even if their warnings are correct, dismissing legitimate questions regarding how they arrived at their conclusions isn’t a “fringe thing” but actually part of scientific inquiry?
I’ve been asking that for the last couple of years. When every alarmist prediction turns out to be wrong, intelligent folks will begin to wonder if the basic premise was wrong.
Planet Earth is clearly telling us. There is no global warming. There just isn’t.