Winter winds blow Arctic sea ice into melt zone

Record-breaking winter winds have blown large swathes of old Arctic sea ice into warmer waters, putting them at high risk of melting this summer, according to a new study by a UCL-led research team. Old Arctic ice, known as "perennial" ice, is ice that has survived at least one summer. It is thicker than new ice, is less prone to melting, and helps keep Earth cool in summer by reflecting sunlight. It is also a vital part of the habitat of animals such as polar bears and seals. However, the coverage of perennial Arctic ice has reduced by around 50% since 1984 and is currently at its lowest extent on record for this time of year. The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment , found that winds blowing persistently clockwise for most of the winter drove 8% of the Arctic's entire perennial ice store into the Beaufort Sea, a southerly region where two thirds of ice melts in the summer. This resulted in almost a quarter (23.5%) of the Arctic's perennial ice sequestered in melt-prone regions outside the central Arctic - the largest fraction since records began in 1989.