Diagnosis of the record minimum in Arctic sea ice area during 1990 and associated snow cover extremes

The Arctic sea ice cover exhibited its record minimum area during 1990, characterized by extensive ice‐free conditions during August along the Siberian coast. These reductions are consistent with warm, windy conditions in May and continued warmth in June promoting early melt and reductions in ice concentration, followed in August by strong coastal winds forcing a final breakup and retreat of the pack ice. The unusually warm Arctic conditions in 1990 are part of a larger‐scale temperature anomaly pattern, linking the sea ice anomaly to accompanying record minima in Eurasian snow cover.