“Modestly increasing” Antarctic sea ice extents?
Today, 16 June the excess Anatrctic sea ice area = 1.43 Mkm^2. (1.43 million square kilometers above the normal.
Well, when the excess Antarctic sea ice was +1.0 Mkm^2 in February with the minimum sea normal ice at 2.0 Mkm^2, does an excess of 33% seem “modest” ? What is “modest” increase? A value back in 2010 of +.25 Mkm^2 against an area in September of 19.0 Mkm^2? What value do they want to look at (er, cherry pick) to decide a “modest” ANtarctic sea ice excess? (And always remember to check “sea ice area” against “sea ice extent” .. the two are different.)
Right now? We have an excess Antarctic sea ice area of 1.43 Mkm^2, but a total area of only 10 Mkm^2. Is a mere 14% excess a “modest” gain? Is the Arctic’s “devastating” or frightening sea ice loss of -.98 Mkm^2 at a total Arctic area of 10 Mkm^2? Is that Arctic loss really worse than +1.43 Mkm^2 gain down south if the Arctic loss occurs at very high latitudes with less solar elevation angle even at the solstice? Now (today) of course the Arctic sea ice is melting – it does every year. But today (mid-June and early July) that Arctic sea ice only has a 0.40 – 0.46 albedo. That excess Antarctic sea ice is increasing – and THAT year-by-year increase is not slowing at all.
