After all of the news about a minimum record ice extent last month, this is interesting. As we know when water loses its ice cover, it allows a lot of heat to radiate into space as LWIR. many predictied that as a result of the extra open ocean surface, we see a very fast refreeze in the Arctic. It appears they were right. In fact, this is the fastest monthly scale refreeze rate in the NSIDC satellite record going back to 1979.

Here’s JAXA data plotted to show what has happened:

From the blog sunshine hours, here’s an analysis using NSIDC data:

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Today is day 291 in the Arctic. The minimum in 2012 was on day 260 – 31 days ago.

If you calculate the percentage of ice gained (the refreeze) 31 days after minimum, then 2012 is the fastest refreeze ever!

Arctic Sea Ice Extent has increased by 43.8% since the minimum was reached.

Extents are in millions of sq km.

(And note I am using NSIDC data here and their algorithm is making the refreeze appear slow compared to NORSEX)

Year Minimum_Extent Extent Day Extent_Change Extent_Change_Pct 1979 6.89236 295 2.55691 27.1 1980 7.52476 280 0.95144 11.2 1981 6.88784 284 1.71672 20 1982 7.15423 287 2.41499 25.2 1983 7.19145 282 1.70096 19.1 1984 6.39916 291 2.08442 24.6 1985 6.4799 281 1.50769 18.9 1986 7.12351 280 1.8491 20.6 1987 6.89159 276 1.37713 16.7 1988 7.04905 286 1.76783 20.1 1989 6.88931 296 2.70935 28.2 1990 6.0191 295 3.46791 36.6 1991 6.26027 290 2.69726 30.1 1992 7.16324 282 1.67903 19 1993 6.15699 280 1.85199 23.1 1994 6.92645 279 1.1014 13.7 1995 5.98945 283 0.5189 8 1996 7.15283 285 1.77882 19.9 1997 6.61353 277 0.65032 9 1998 6.29922 291 2.35169 27.2 1999 5.68009 286 2.68723 32.1 2000 5.9442 286 2.32372 28.1 2001 6.56774 293 1.95252 22.9 2002 5.62456 287 2.41992 30.1 2003 5.97198 291 2.10126 26 2004 5.77608 294 2.37329 29.1 2005 5.31832 296 3.09221 36.8 2006 5.74877 288 1.72446 23.1 2007 4.1607 288 1.39556 25.1 2008 4.55469 293 3.33615 42.3 2009 5.05488 286 1.45951 22.4 2010 4.59918 293 2.88065 38.5 2011 4.30207 282 1.35023 23.9 2012 3.36855 291 2.62409 43.8

Source: sunshine hours

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Here’s the NORSEX plot and NSIDC plot compared:

See all the data on the WUWT Sea Ice Reference Page

In other news. I’ve been in touch with Bill Chapman at UUIC/Crysophere Today to point out this bug:

It turns out to be an accidental issue, and he says:

“I was using the script to generate a plot for a publication that wanted a U.S.-centric view and it looks like I forgot to put things back to the way they were originally. I’ll have it fixed by tomorrows update.”

Stuff happens, no worries.

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