That might slow things on the Atlantic side, but this year, I'm more concerned about what has happened to the ice in the Chukchi and Beaufort.
There is an awful lot of water locked up in snow cover right now, more than usual, and I'm thinking in particular of N. America. That might slow heating as the sun returns, but I don't think it will enough, and as a bunch of that snow is under boreal forest, it won't slow it down there at *all*.
That means much more water to export heat from lower latitudes into the CAA, Beaufort and Hudson's bay. I think it will have a noticeable impact.
I hope very much for cloudy weather. VERY much.