Is there a connection between La Niña events this fall (Sept, Oct, and Nov), and the very late freeze-up of sea ice in the Chukchi Sea? The Chukchi Sea has been freezing up later and later especially since 2003. In 2016, there was a very late freeze up. The following year in 2017, the Chukchi Sea experienced a record late freeze- up in December! This is unprecedented in the satellite record over the past 40 years. Is there a connection between the increased storm frequency in the western tropical Pacific, whose storms track northwards to ALaska and the late season freeze up in the Chukchi Sea? Thank you for your very interesting blogs Regards Warren