http://ocean.dmi.dk/arctic/icecover.uk.php

This seems like a fairly obvious question, but a few readers are having a tough time with it. Ice forms when the air and water are cold. In the case of salt water ice, the water has to be cold down to a depth of several tens of metres before ice starts to form on the surface.

So when you see a record fast freeze like this year, you can infer several things.

• The air is very cold
• The water is very cold
• Very little energy was absorbed by the water this summer
• 2010 is not the hottest year ever.

References : Consult your freezer