This Summer in the Arctic

-
As reported previously on this blog, Arctic sea ice rebounded this summer. About half of the sea ice survived the summer melt.

Last summer's sea ice hit a record low. The rebound did not seem to surprise some scientist because two record lows in a row have yet to be recorded since Arctic sea ice levels have been tracked.

During my visit to the Arctic (Aug. - Sept. 2013), on-board the USCGC Healy, many observers commented on the relative abundance of polar bear sightings.

This news of a sea ice rebound would also be welcome to the native Inupiaq peoples of Alaska, since subsistence hunting of whales is a continuing cultural practice.

More on the Arctic sea ice rebound here.

Popular posts from this blog

Are There Consequences to a Warming Arctic?

-
Image
Could a rapidly warming Arctic create crazy storms? (Fox41 Blog) In an article written by Stephanie Paige Ogburn in Scientific American , a question was poised: Does a warming Arctic affect mid-latitude weather? Sandy-like events are receiving a lot of media attention, and many are wondering if there is a link to climate change. "R apid warming in the Arctic is changing the way the jet stream behaves. Since the jet stream is a driving force behind weather over the temperate part of the Earth, also known as the mid-latitudes, many people would be affected by this switch." Jennifer Francis , a climate scientist at Rutgers, has been working on this hypothesis that a warming Arctic has a link to crazy weather events. Though she admits the signal is somewhat weak at this point, the body of evidence is gathering. "Arctic sea ice extent continues to plunge below average each summer. Measurements have shown that the winds that blow west to east and drive the jet ...
Read more

Welcome 2012-2013 School Year

-
Image
copyright 2011 Danny Blas Welcome to Mr. Blas' classroom website for the 2012-2013 school year at Lincoln High School! Classes at Lincoln High School resumes on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. Start time for each day is 7:25am. School ends most days at 2:25pm , unless it's a minimum day. This school year I will be teaching U.S. History in room 537, Marine Science in room 557, and Yearbook in room 505. All classes take place at the Center for Social Justice.
Read more