How is ice melting in the Arctic Ocean predicted to affect the climate of Europe? The influx of cold water would disrupt ocean currents that circulate warm water around Europe, cooling overall temperatures. The influx of water would drive an increase in the amount of rain, due to more water being available for evaporation. The overall rise of global temperatures would cause an increase in the overall temperature in Europe, regardless of ice melting. Temperatures would fluctuate dramatically throughout the year, due to disrupted buffering effects of newly cooled waters.

In September 2012, the Arctic's sea ice reached a new lowest point. Climate change in the region is melting sea ice at a far more rapid rate than previous predictions have anticipated. There is also a decreasing tendency in the snow cover. Not just the local population but also other parts of Europe and abroad might be affected by the Arctic.

Explanation:

Water in the North Atlantic travelling north on the ocean surface in cold and high latitudes, where it gets cooler, heated toward the equator. When it cools, it gets denser and, as cold water is denser than warm water, it descends into the deep sea where it again goes south. More hot, cool, sinks and the process repeats. The surface water pours in. However, it may modify or totally cease this cycle of ocean currents through the melting of Arctic sea ice as well as melting Greenland glaciers.

According to recent study, Arctic sea ice melts as a result of warmer climate. The melting ice leads to addition of freshwater to the marine water that flows across the North Atlantic in the Arctic Ocean. The freshwater supplied reduces the density of the water. In the last several decades, it made the North Atlantic fresher and the currents slowed.

Water less dense cannot sink down and run further into the ocean that might interfere with or interrupt the pattern of ocean currents in the area. Researchers anticipate that these currents may end in the next several decades, given the prevailing rate of changes.