The day after tomorrow...

[xmetman]

Warm air still dominates over much of the northern hemisphere, particularly over central Russia (+8), the bulk of North America (+4) and large parts of Europe (+2), but the western North Atlantic ocean is still slightly on the cold side (-1). I've added labels for the various extremes to help you read the contours, which are more than a little convoluted this month

It's the first time in a long time that surface temperature seem to be back to normal in the Barents sea region of the Arctic. The chart below is for temperatures and anomalies since the start of the year at 80N 40E, which is right in the middle of the Barents Sea between Svalbard and Franz Josef Land. The anomaly values of +20°C or more for much of the Winter look like something out of the film "The day after tomorrow" (but in reverse - sudden warming and not sudden cooling) I know, but as far as I can see my application is doing its job and they are correct.

[xmetman]

I've been thiking about the chart of the temperature in th middle of the Barents sea anthed it now dawned on me why the anomalies are so large, and I'm sure its because of the abscence of sea ice. Last winter that part of the ocean remained more or less ice free, and temperatures didn't drop to -25, but because the LTA is based on 30 years when the sea froze solid and allow much lower temperatures the very mild air that flooded in from the south over ice free water produced massive positive anomalies. Let me know if you agree or not.

[Alastair B. McDonald]

Yes I agree!

Sea ice as far south as Ireland also explains the Younger Dryas, returning the climate of Britain back into the ice age, and  bringingice sheets to the Highlands of Scotland. (The sea ice also halted the Conveyer, and not vice versa.)