What are the effects of an Arctic ‘tug-of-war’ on Britain and Ireland’s winter weather?

The team found a considerable influence of Arctic sea ice on winter weather conditions with a range of outcomes influenced by a ‘tug-of-war’ between the amount of sea-ice loss relative to background global warming.

More dramatic sea-ice loss is associated with a higher rate of warming in the Arctic compared to the global average: a process known as Arctic amplification, reducing the temperature gradient between the poles and the equator. This contrast in temperature between the Arctic and lower latitudes is an important driver of the jet stream, the system that brings storms to Europe.