Published in ERW, 27 Jul 2015
Shrinking sea ice in the Arctic leads to greater snowfall in Eurasia, according to researchers from Switzerland, Norway, Spain, the Russian Federation and Germany. The finding suggests that the decline in the Arctic’s reflectivity, or albedo, could to an extent be recouped elsewhere, producing unusual weather patterns.
One of the suggested effects of Arctic ice loss is a rise in snowfall over Eurasia, and Siberia in particular, although this has been under debate. When ice is lost, the surrounding air comes into contact with the underlying water surface, which is normally warmer. In theory, then, a loss of sea ice above Eurasia opens up a channel of warm, moisture-laden air, which can destabilize the atmosphere and generate storms. In the Siberian autumn and winter, these will be snow storms. […]
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