...
Time to close shop in this thread.
I think I extracted what DrTskoul wrote. (Remember to write comments and responses before the first "[
quote]" or after the last "[
/quote]".)
Just because maximum extent has been reached does not mean the freezing season has ended. Max extent and area just mean southern edge-melting exceeds northern edge freezing (and there aren't many northern edges to freeze, given the land-bound nature of the Arctic Ocean).
Arctic ice volume, historically, has continued to grow until April, and that means northern freezing continues to exceed southern melting. Even in May and early June the high Arctic ice continues to thicken (freeze), while net Arctic ice volume decreases.
Even though isolated locations and days during the NH summer (after June 21st, as defined in the good ol' U.S.A.) have actual freezing events, I think only denialists and their ilk would claim this is proof the NH freezing season continues then.
At some point, of course, this thread
will be forgotten and comments about continued freezing will be posted in the melting thread.
"Reports of [the end of the freezing season] have been greatly exaggerated." - apologies to Mark Twain