I think its because we have had a positive AO but without any 'plume' events or huge storms bringing warm temps/rain*. So the arctic has been largelly cold and clear with less snow than would be expected (good for growth). Lower latitudes have been alot warmer than expected, which kept it in the top 15 with a record late hudson freeze up. However eventually hudson was always going to freeze, and that pushed us out.
Lower latitude warmth may have the opposite effect though as we go deeper into winter. Not much more room for growth now in the high arctic, so warm temps at lower latitudes could cause a significant stall.
This ties in of course, with the N. Atlantic storms tracking generally into Europe rather than the Arctic Basin, whereas for several decades now the route for the majority of storms has been to the north of Norway into The Basin.
There seems to be a connection here with this research -
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00491/full%20%C2%A0 - which is about what the title says
Borealization (adaptation (as of plants) to life in more northerly regions) of the Arctic Ocean in Response to Anomalous Advection From Sub-Arctic Seas
This year, it seems the anomalous advection has stopped and allowed ice to form more readily. What do you think?
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