Ask a Climatologist: Arctic sea ice drives climate around the globe

Ice floes float in Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland above the Arctic circle on July 10, 2008. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward, Canadian Press.)
Arctic sea ice extent hit a new record low in March for the third year in a row. That sea ice, or lack of it, drives climate patterns around the globe.
But how?
We put that question to Brian Brettschneider for the segment, Ask a Climatologist.
He says it’s all about energy. Sea ice reflects most of the sun’s energy back into space. Less sea