I believe the differential continentality is why the Antarctic is showing the cooling sooner than the Arctic and Greenland. (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
Chervin, R.M., and L.M. Druyan, 1984: The influence of ocean surface temperature gradient and continentality on the Walker circulation. (pubs.giss.nasa.gov)
(We need to bear in mind the continentality of the winter ice sheet. (wattsupwiththat.com)