The Arctic is becoming warmer and wetter as revealed by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

Abstract:

Over the past decade, the Arctic has seen unprecedented declines in the summer sea ice area, leading to larger and longer exposed open water areas. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder is a useful yet underutilized tool to study corresponding atmospheric changes and their feedbacks between 2003 and 2013. Most pronounced warming occurs between November and April, with skin and air temperatures increasing on average 2.5 K and 1.5 K over the Arctic Ocean. In response to sea ice loss, evaporation rates (i.e., moisture flux) increased between August and October by 1.5 × 10−3 g m−2 s−1 (3.8 W m−2 latent heat flux energy), increasing the water vapor feedback and cloud cover. Although most trends are positive over the Arctic Ocean, there is considerable interannual variability. Increasing specific humidity in May and corresponding downward moisture fluxes cause earlier melt onset; warming skin temperatures and radiative responses to increased water vapor and cloud cover in autumn delay freeze-up.