The balance imo is that despite all the heat and energy, the ice pack over the Cab region is not full of holes like it was in 2016 and 2012 which may of played a factor in those years having lower minimum.
This is not something that needs to be 'balanced'. The implication is that things aren't really that bad, because look, 2012 was much worse. This is what annoys people and brings out the troll accusations. Because practically no one is saying - as of yet - that 2019 is looking much worse than 2012 in every respect. Things simply look very bad, that's all, but we don't know what the next weeks will bring.
I guess this melt season may test what is worse for the ice long term, dispersion or melt ponding?
I agree, but it's the weather that will determine this. And remember the famous quote: In the end, it will just melt away quite suddenly. It's not like there is dispersion first, and only then does it melt away quite suddenly. We have all witnessed large-scale flash melting events.
Now, I'm going to wait for the latest PIOMAS data before I really start comparing 2012 and 2019 (thickness distribution could be crucial), but here's one thing: 2012 and 2019 are on a par when it comes to compactness (and they're both lower than 2016). The level of compactness is determined by two factors: dispersion and melt ponds. If Michael is correct and 2012 has more dispersion than 2019, this means that 2019 has more melt ponding than 2012 (which I doubt, but never mind).
I happen to believe that melt ponds are worse than dispersion, because dispersion may warm up the water between floes and nibble at the sides, but melt ponds nibble at the whole floe
and warm up the water below it. But I could be wrong.
Either way, the situation is bad right now. This may change. Saying (or worse, implying) that it's not all that bad, isn't 'balance', it's factually wrong.