polar warming

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Antarctica midwinter heat wave
Credit: Pedro Szekely/Flickr

Antarctica experiences unprecedented midwinter heat wave

East Antarctica is experiencing a massive heat wave, with temperatures spiking 50 degrees above normal, highlighting the ongoing impacts of climate change on polar regions.

Kasha Patel reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

  • Ground temperatures in East Antarctica have soared more than 50 degrees (28°C) above normal, marking one of the largest anomalies on the planet.
  • The warming is linked to a weakened polar vortex, leading to a sudden stratospheric warming event that has disrupted typical weather patterns.
  • Scientists warn that the decreasing sea ice and warming oceans are contributing to more frequent and intense heat waves in Antarctica.

Key quote:

“It is likely that having less sea ice and a warmer Southern Ocean around the Antarctic continent ‘loads the dice’ for warmer winter weather over Antarctica.”

— Edward Blanchard, atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington

Why this matters:

Imagine the freezer door being left open, and you’ll get the picture. As climate change continues to rewrite the Earth's weather patterns, these heatwaves could become more frequent, pushing Antarctica's ice into the danger zone. Read more: Scientists probe ancient history of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and find unsettling news about sea level rise.

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rapid melting thwaites glacier
Credit: Felton Davis/Flickr

New evidence shows rapid melting of Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier

Scientists have found that the glacier is melting at an alarming rate due to warm seawater intrusions.

Doyle Rice reports for USA Today.

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accelerated polar warming

The weirdest reason the poles are warming so fast? Invisible clouds

Clouds way up in the stratosphere act like a blanket, trapping heat in the Arctic and Antarctica. That could help explain why models keep underestimating how fast they’re warming.
polar bears climate change

Why polar bears are no longer the poster image of climate change

For decades distressed polar bears on distant ice caps were an emblem for climate change – until experts began to doubt the effectiveness of these visuals.
Antarctic Circumpolar Current deteriorating

Scientists studying Antarctic Circumpolar Current to take closer look at 'heat flux gates' letting in warmer water

The powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the Southern Ocean acts like a force field, keeping warmer waters out of the polar region. But scientists are concerned a "gateway" is opening up.
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Paris Polar Summit meltdown

Paris polar summit: Melting ice takes center stage

Recent studies have shown vital ice sheets are melting at unprecedented rates. Scientists, politicians and NGOs are gathering in Paris for a Polar Summit.
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Antarctica massive ice loss

Antarctica has lost 7.5tn tonnes of ice since 1997, scientists find

Study finds more than 40% of ice shelves have shrunk, with millions of tonnes of freshwater entering ocean.

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