NORTH POLE — It may still be the middle of winter, but the weather in the North Pole has gotten so warm it may as well be summer.
The Atlantic reports that Arctic sea ice typically develops a thick layer from late September to early March, with temperatures in the region normally below freezing.
This year's Arctic winter, however, is unusually warm. Temperatures have risen to over 36 degrees above normal, and sea ice has started melting.
According to The Guardian, a theory known as 'warm arctic, cold continents' suggests that as the polar vortex becomes unstable, warm air is taken in and cold air expelled. The North Pole gets hotter as a result, while certain parts of Europe are subjected to unusually frigid weather.
Though the theory itself remains debatable, the fact remains that whatever changes happen in the Arctic has a huge impact on the rest of the world.