Reblogged this on kingbum78's Blog and commented:
It’s the 4th lowest extent since the satellite era (I can’t say all time its just not truthful)…since 1979 only 2012 2007 and 2011 have been lower. We are still very close to 2008 but it appears we will pass that one.
Most of the year air temperature is below freezing, so then the heating is coming from the open water. More open water in recent decades means higher air temps than the previous average. In mid-summer the sun takes over and pushes air temps over the freezing point and that is a similar pattern year after year.
sunshine hours 
Reblogged this on kingbum78's Blog and commented:
It’s the 4th lowest extent since the satellite era (I can’t say all time its just not truthful)…since 1979 only 2012 2007 and 2011 have been lower. We are still very close to 2008 but it appears we will pass that one.
why are the temp. swings so wild at the bottom end of the data, when the higher temps are dead on?
http://ocean.dmi.dk/arctic/meant80n.uk.php
Most of the year air temperature is below freezing, so then the heating is coming from the open water. More open water in recent decades means higher air temps than the previous average. In mid-summer the sun takes over and pushes air temps over the freezing point and that is a similar pattern year after year.