--- title: Climate Change: Arctic Temperatures Expected to Soar description: Temperatures in the Arctic could reach close to 30°F above the average for this time of year in the coming days. canonical: https://time.com/4616573/climate-change-arctic-temperatures/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-12-22T16:41:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T02:26:42.715Z article:section: Science og:title: Climate Change: Arctic Temperatures Expected to Soar og:description: Temperatures in the Arctic could reach close to 30°F above the average for this time of year in the coming days. og:url: https://time.com/4616573/climate-change-arctic-temperatures/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6a18c5eed8cf9bd7/6988b3da0b72e35f2a6ec212/global-warming2.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1706 og:image:alt: Norway. Svalbard Islands. Spitsbergen Island. Glacier og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Climate Change: Arctic Temperatures Expected to Soar twitter:description: Temperatures in the Arctic could reach close to 30°F above the average for this time of year in the coming days. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6a18c5eed8cf9bd7/6988b3da0b72e35f2a6ec212/global-warming2.jpg?branch=production ---  # Arctic Temperatures Are Expected to Soar 30 Degrees Above Normal  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Dec 22, 2016 4:41 PM UTC  Norway, Svalbard Islands. Norway, Svalbard Islands.Hermes Images—AGF/UIG/Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Dec 22, 2016 4:41 PM UTC Temperatures in the Arctic could climb to 30°F above the average for this time of year within the next week, according to [scientists](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/north-pole-nov-dec-2016/) who monitor the area. It’s the latest heat wave in a string of unfortunate weather events for the region. The warmer weather comes as the region continues a two-month spell of record high temperatures and record low sea ice cover. Temperatures in November were on average 23ºF higher than normal. Temperatures around the planet have risen in recent decades due to man-made climate change, but scientists say the Arctic has been hit particularly hard. Global temperatures were approximately 2.2°F higher than the pre-industrial average, likely to make 2016 the [warmest year on record](https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/provisional-wmo-statement-status-of-global-climate-2016), but that temperature difference often hit the double digits in the Arctic.’ “People have been talking about the Arctic for years now,” [said](http://time.com/4600091/arctic-climate-change/) Jeremy Mathis, director of NOAA’s Arctic Research Program, earlier this month. But “this year we have really seen the deepening of the change signal in the Arctic. The Arctic has shown a clear, stronger and more pronounced signal of persistent warming.” Scientists from research group Climate Central evaluated this year’s warm Arctic season and [found](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/north-pole-nov-dec-2016/) the chances of such high temperatures “extremely unlikely” without man-made climate change. Warming in the Arctic affects human life in a variety of ways. Perhaps most importantly, Arctic warming contributes to a feedback mechanism that worsens warming. Hot temperatures melt permafrost—frozen ground—that subsequently releases greenhouse gases that contribute to further warming. 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