"One key takeaway that can help contextualize a growing Antarctic Ice Sheet with rising global temperatures is the difference between weather and climate. When we talk about the weather, we are referring to what the atmospheric conditions are and what they might be for the next few hours to a few weeks from now. Climate refers to the average weather, given a long history."
"Looking at one of the plots from the Tongji study shown below, you'll notice the overall trend since 2002 has been downwards, with a total mass loss of about 300 gigatons since 2002. For context, the average weight of the entire snowpack at Palisades Tahoe is in the neighborhood of 30 gigatons. In 2021 and 2022, some of the ice sheet mass is recovered, to the tune of around 3 Palisades Tahoe snowpacks."
Data from two NASA satellites indicate the Antarctic Ice Sheet gained mass between 2021 and 2023 while exhibiting a long-term decline since 2002 of roughly 300 gigatons. The long-term trend shows a pronounced acceleration in melting beginning around 2010. Short-term gains reflect weather variability and regional conditions rather than reversal of the warming-driven trend. The 2021–2022 mass recovery equates to roughly three Palisades Tahoe snowpacks (about 30 gigatons each). The contrast between short-term weather fluctuations and long-term climate trends explains temporary mass increases amid ongoing warming and ice loss.
Read at SnowBrains
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