For example, the 2012 record minimum came during the remarkable summer melt season of 2012 and was fueled in part by summer storms that moved ice into warm waters. (climatecentral.org)
When this amount declines, the rate of summer melt declines and the ice sheets begin to grow. (skepticalscience.com)
But even such a huge head start didn't guarantee a record low come summer's end, because weather plays a key role in summer melt. (climatecentral.org)