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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />This year's Arctic winter, however, is unusually warm. Temperatures have risen to over 36 degrees above normal, and sea ice has started melting.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.
