Temperatures in the Arctic Ocean, an area that has a significant influence on the world’s weather, were much warmer last month than the average for the past two decades. Northeastern Canada and Greenland were also much warmer-than-average for February, according to a report Monday by Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists have linked this warming to extreme weather events elsewhere in the world, including the blast of cold air that swept out of Canada and deep into the U.S. south in the middle of last month, causing an energy crisis in Texas.
In contrast, temperatures were the furthest below normal in Siberia. Globally, February was 0.06 degrees Celsius above the average from 1991 to 2020.
Sea ice extent was below average in the northern and southern polar regions during the month, although not exceptionally so, Copernicus said. Coverage was smallest compared to previous years in Northeastern Canada.