Saturday, July 21, 2018

2012 vs 2018 on three fronts, circulation dominates, 2018 is slushier

The most interesting area is Beaufort to Bering sea:

 July 4 to 20 2012,  there was more open water over Beaufort because the Gyre circulation was largely unaffected by cyclones till August.  Note the ice pans maintaining about 100 km in diameter,  moving clockwise.
Absent Beaufort area 2018 sea ice morphology is largely similar to 2012 same period of days.  Except the circulation is counterclockwise and the majority of  surviving sea ice pans are smaller at about 50 km in diameter,  observe the slushier aspect of the ice as well,  pulverized by greater motion amongst significant open water.

 The Atlantic front difference is fascinating as well,

Atlantic Front July 17 2012,  note the ice shoreline hugging Franz Josef and Svalbard Islands,  
There is at present about a 250 km retreat towards the Pole for the entire Atlantic Front.   
 Chukchi and East Siberian seas has equally a vast difference:
2012 2017 and 2018 July 20 animation ,  2012 is the one with most sea ice,  we note 2018 incredibly warm Bering sea at some points +10 C hot.  And also the counterclockwise flow of sea ice ice right into this warmed sea.  It is a new Fram Strait by virtue of a warmer winter with no sea ice.  WD July 21 2018

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