thetonynator

Where are you getting the idea that the 'good ice' is on the Atlantic side? Ever map I've seen has shown a strong Beaufort gyre which has pushed the vast majority of multi year ice towards the Pacific side.

11.0 please.

I'd imagine we will see some record breaking months possibly from August/September onwards, maybe a little later, the way tings are looking at the moment!

9.5 please.

I don't see why you want to bring sentiment into it, the figures are objective, you don't need to bring sentiment into it at all. Area continued to grow while you tried to say it was ice breaking up and spreading out. Another new area max yesterday for the record, 13.487 million. http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/arctic.sea.ice.interactive.html Also interesting to note that it's only the second time since 2007 that the anomaly hasn't had its traditional 'near normal' period in late winter, although obviously a slow start to the melt season bring the extent and area temporarily a bit closer to normal.

You also said last week when there was a big extent jump that is was just the break up of ice, yet area took a massive leap also. For the record, area hit a new max on friday. http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/arctic.sea.ice.interactive.html

Ye should all move to the west of Ireland. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=1999

Have you any sources for these theories or is it just plain speculation?

The cold wasn't bottled up, the polar vortex spent the entire winter over North America while the arctic experienced well above average temperatures.

7.0 please.

5.0

5.8

I understand that I'm more pointing out that some people will only ever take note of the negative points, and will completely ignore a situation that is not dire.

I'm not confusing anything 'G', I understand its insignificance completely just pointing out your double standards. Just for the sake of argument, the antarctic ice area is 13.2% above average at the moment, whereas 7 days before the solstice in the northern hemisphere the arctic ice was 6.5% below average.

If ice area levels were currently 1.2m km^2 below average, you would be harping on incessantly about albedo and feedbacks, yet when they are 1.2m km^2 above average there isn't even a mention about the positive feedback effects this could be having? Especially given that it is now mid summer in Antarctica and the sun is approaching its highest angle. http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/IMAGES/seaice.anomaly.antarctic.png