Loss Of Old Ice In The Early 1990s – Due To El Niño?

According to NSIDC, most of the loss of older ice occurred in the early 1990s.

http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2007.html

1988

1996

Probably not coincidentally, there was almost a continuous El Niño during that period. In fact, ENSO was positive for the vast majority of the Arctic satellite record.

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/people/klaus.wolter/MEI/

Since 2007, ENSO has been mostly negative – which may explain why the ice is recovering.