The warming planet continues to affect even the coldest parts of the world. More recently, scientists reported that the Arctic region transitions to a different climate with less snow. Open water and rain could replace the ice and snow.
Changing Arctic Region
The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado produced the study on Monday, which aims to determine the current state of the Arctic. The authors noted that the sea ice in the region has declined. Even if an extremely cold year occurs, it would still not suffice to bring back the same amount of ice from decades before.
The New York Times quoted the study’s primary author, Dr. Laura Landrum, saying: “Everybody knows the Arctic is changing.”
Additionally, Dr. Landrum said that the research “wanted to quantify” if the Arctic experiences a new climate.
‘The New Arctic’
The researchers looked at years of observational data from the Arctic through computer models. These actually enabled them to identify the year-over-year change in the region. They also confirmed that the area has entered a new climate. Particularly, the Arctic transitioned into the new climate at the end of the 20th century and the start of the 21st century.
How much has the Arctic changed as the world has warmed? So much, scientists say, that it's shifting to a new climate. https://t.co/mP80vybmTU
— NYT Climate (@nytclimate) September 14, 2020
Since satellite measurements started in the 1970s, sea ice in the region dropped by 12 percent every ten years. They expect that 2020 could hit a record low, or an approximate, in terms of ice extent. It would depend on how the Arctic would result after the end of the summer.
Moreover, the study found out that the sea ice could continue to disrupt its climate. Months could see more rain than snow while temperatures during autumn and winter would be warm enough to push the change further. Particularly, the models used included high emissions of greenhouse gases.
The Aftermath of the Arctic’s Climate Change
The effects of the change in climate in the region could have devastating outcomes. The New York Times also reported that included in the impact could include eroding coastlines. Food supply could also be affected when a warm storm kills the animals the Indigenous people depend on.
