Eli5: If the ocean moderates temperatures and prevents extreme cold or extreme heat, why is the arctic ocean so cold?

Question

I just find it strange haha

In: 2

Answer 1

The ocean as a whole serves as a heat battery. It can warm up or cool down and this absorbs much more heat energy than the same change would in just the atmosphere.

Some of it may heat up or cool down before another part of it. The arctic ocean is around arctic air, both of which are cold. If the air above that water warms up, the water must also warm up and evaporate and help slow the change.