Continued near-record sea-ice loss and higher-than-normal temperatures are melting the Arctic and these changes may set the stage for a "climate change paradox" of more intense U.S. winters, says a new U.S. report.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's "Arctic Report Card" warns this week that thinning sea ice around the North Pole continues a trend in effect since 2007, reports USA TODAY colleague Dan Vergano. He says NOAA's findings include:
* Summer sea ice cover was the third lowest extent recorded since satellite measurement began in 1979
* Snow cover lasted the least time since record-keeping began in 1966
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