It is difficult to distinguish between cause and effect. Arctic Sea Ice is caused by freezing ocean water. So it should be no surprise that there is a negative correlation between Northern Hemisphere ocean surface temperatures, and Arctic Sea Ice. (1) Arctic Oscillation is defined by low pressure in the polar region. (2) Low pressure is caused by cold, which causes water vapor to condense or freeze, (3) and other gases to drop their pressure. (4) Open water moderates the temperatures to always be near the freezing point of salt water at about ?2 °C (28.4 °F). (5) It gives off heat as it freezes (334 KJ/mole), and absorbs heat as it vaporizes (45 KJ/mole). (6) Thus, the AO has trouble developing unless there is ice covering the otherwise open water (in theory at least). Actually, the data does not seem to know this. (7) When the pressure gets low, it creates a vortex where the winds circle the pole isolating all that cold in the polar region, and moving the ice in a circle. So sub polar latitudes tend to be less affected by polar cold fronts, and get less snow. Thus, there should be a negative correlation between the AO and the Northern Hemisphere snow anomaly. (8) Yep! It is there, but I have seen better negative correlations.

Once the wind starts blowing over the pole (AO negative) it can blow the sea ice into the Greenland sea where it can escape to the Norwegian Sea, and finally to the Atlantic Ocean where it can look for a cruise ship like the Titanic to sink before it melts in the relatively warm water. (9) However, I am not very impressed by the "negative correlation" between Arctic sea ice (1) and the AO. (7)

So in theory, the sea ice causes the AO (positive correlation), and the AO makes more sea ice (positive correlation), but the correlation is unconvincing. It seems that AO and sea ice do not care much about each other, but when there is not AO, it snows a lot in the Northern Hemisphere. Except, that does not do a very good correlation either.

No, and neither can anyone else, there so many possibilities, a connection between Arctic Oscillation and Arctic ice is obviously there, but which drives which.

One scenario which I haven't seen mentioned is that melting ice, causes extreme cold northern hemisphere weather through the jet stream changing, which so reduces albedo at lower latitudes (where it counts) that the Earth goes into an ice age and the Arctic freezes over again, Do I believe that could happen NO, but it is a remote possibility.

Here is the bookmark you lost: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/02/08/gl...

Recopy it quick, but keep looking around behind you: the eco-commie warmonists hiding behind the water cooler can sneak up on you fast, and nail you in the back with their fearsome carbon tax.

I can go home now. The warmies are citing Anthony Watts. Glory be!

Using the three parameters I stated in my question, can you describe how each affects the other?

Also can you describe the drivers (i.e. distinguish between the causes and the symptoms)?