"Earth's axis of rotation is tilted. The North Pole always points in the same direction during Earth's year-long journey around the Sun. So, different parts of Earth get the Sun's direct rays throughout the year. That is why we have seasons!" NASA
http://climatekids.nasa.gov/polar-temperatures/
Here we have people from the most renowned space agency in the world unable to handle the evolution of Arctic sea ice and the dynamic behind it while instructing kids at the same time.
The best way to handle the seasons including sea ice appearance and disappearance as a result of two distinct surface rotations to the central Sun is to begin with the creation and disappearance of frost at lower latitudes. As a location turn away from the central Sun's radiation daily, the area cools and frost forms as a result with its disappearance coming from the return of radiation as the location turns back into sunlight, something so obvious that nobody in their right mind would doubt it.
The year long polar day/night cycle is no different as the polar latitudes turn in a circle to the central Sun and parallel with the orbital plane as a function of the orbital behavior of the Earth. Nobody should doubt that the trillions of tons of sea ice created each year in the Arctic is a consequence of a surface rotation to the central Sun as distinct from daily rotation and its characteristics.
Planetary climate is Not based on long term weather patterns, climate is defined astronomically as all planets have climates which can be compared with others within the solar system with the degree of inclination being the common factor which defines climate within a spectrum.
This is open source material as the conclusions are drawn from direct observations of a planet turning in two distinct ways to the Sun seen at roughly 49 seconds into the time lapse footage -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=612gSZsplpE
The knuckleheads who are trying to extend weather modeling into 'climate' and then making doom laden predictions on that account are being disruptive to climate research within the realm of astronomy. The only way to counter an aggressive cult is not to contend with its strictures but to expand the issues out to non confrontational technical issues and hope there are enough reasonable people out there who value their ability to reason as opposed to falling into convictions of others.