Temperatures at the North Pole soared more than 20°C above average last Sunday, reaching levels where ice can begin to melt, according to weather models from European and U.S. agencies.
Scientists attribute the unusual warming to a combination of a deep low-pressure system over Iceland, which directed warm air northward, and higher-than-normal sea temperatures in the northeast Atlantic. The anomaly follows a similar event recorded in February 2018.
Climate researchers note that the Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, leading to more frequent and intense heat events.
Rising temperatures pose a threat to sea ice, which continues to decline despite efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Experts predict that Arctic summer sea ice could disappear entirely within the next two decades.
Theodor Lisovoy, Managing Editor, Rough&Polished
