The arctic regions may seem far away, but the warming temperatures there directly affect our weather here in Minnesota.
Decreasing ice has been a big story in both the arctic and the antarctic. Last year was the lowest amount of ice recorded in the arctic at the end of winter, the time when there should be the most ice. This year was the second lowest.
When there's less ice in the arctic, more sunlight is absorbed. That's why the arctic is warming at twice the rate it once was. Temperatures were 7-10 degrees above normal this past winter.
You're probably thinking, sure it's warmer there but it was colder in Minnesota this winter. Well, the warming arctic had something to do with that.
According to Sven, when the arctic warms up but the tropics stay the same, we get more sporadic jet streams that are also weaker.
During most of April, we were stuck in the colder part of the jet stream while the West Coast was very warm. A warmer climate also holds more water vapor, making storms stronger.
To learn more, watch Sven's explainer above.