A new Danish-led research initiative, IcyAlert, has been launched with the goal of developing an advanced forecasting system capable of predicting when the Arctic will experience ice-free summers, a scenario that could occur as early as the 2030s, the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) said on Friday, reported Xinhua.
The project, scheduled to run through 2031, seeks to provide early warnings about the timing and global consequences of an ice-free Arctic, which experts warn could trigger intensified heatwaves, stronger storms, and severe disruptions to global weather patterns, ecosystems, and fisheries.
"Ice-free summers in the Arctic are no longer a distant possibility. This is a scenario that could occur before the global temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius," said Tian Tian, project leader from the National Center for Climate Research at the DMI.
Tian emphasized that Arctic sea ice plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate systems, and its disappearance could dramatically amplify extreme weather events far beyond the polar region.
The IcyAlert project unites leading experts from DMI, the Technical University of Denmark, and the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. By utilizing artificial intelligence, advanced climate modeling, and causal analysis, the team aims to produce both short-term and long-term forecasts of ice-free Arctic conditions and their global impacts.
The first forecasts are expected to be released by 2028.
- Arctic
- Ice
- Summer
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
