Less sea ice brings more snow

A melting Arctic shifts atmospheric patterns across much of the Northern Hemisphere

Global warming may be responsible for the Northern Hemisphere’s recent bout of severe winters. As Arctic sea ice melts, it funnels cold air toward the equator and sets the stage for snow, a new study finds.

BLOWING HOT AND COLD  Loss of Arctic sea ice cover between 1979 and 2010 coincided with more winter snow in parts of the United States, China and Europe (redder areas indicate more snowfall attributable to sea ice loss).