Following the 2024 maximum sea ice extent on March 14, Arctic ice extent has declined slowly such that 2024 March average is the fifteenth lowest in the passive microwave satellite record. The atmospheric circulation pattern for March 2024 featured a strong pressure gradient across Fram Strait, likely promoting strong winds from the north and therefore strong sea ice export out of the Arctic. An update on sea ice age reveals continued scarcity of the oldest age classes. A new study highlights the uncertainty as to when a seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean can be expected. Overview of condit ..read more

During February, Arctic sea ice extent increased along the lower 10 percent interdecile value, with the average monthly extent tied for fifteenth lowest in the satellite record. Temperatures were above average over the central Arctic, but still well below freezing. Antarctic sea ice extent reached its seasonal minimum, tied for the second lowest extent in the satellite record. Overview of conditions Figure 1a. Arctic sea ice extent for February 2024 was 14.61 million square kilometers (5.64 million square miles). The magenta line shows the 1981 to 2010 average extent for that month ..read more

On February 20, Antarctic sea ice likely reached its minimum extent of 1.99 million square kilometers (768,000 square miles), tying for second lowest extent in the 1979 to 2024 satellite record. This is the third consecutive year that Antarctic sea ice has reached a minimum below 2.0 million square miles (772,000 square miles). Please note that this is a preliminary announcement. Changing winds or late-season melt could still reduce the Antarctic ice extent. NSIDC scientists will release a full analysis of the Antarctic and Arctic February conditions in early March. Overview of conditions Fig ..read more

Arctic sea ice growth was slower than average through most of the month, but with extent slightly declining towards the end of the month. Antarctic sea ice extent returned to near-record daily lows after a brief excursion out of the lowest five years. Overview of conditions Figure 1a. Arctic sea ice extent for January 2024 was 13.92 million square kilometers (5.37 million square miles). The magenta line shows the 1981 to 2010 average extent for that month. Sea Ice Index data. About the data Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center High-resolution image Figure 1b. The graph ..read more

The end of 2023 had above average sea ice growth, bringing the daily extent within the interdecile range, the range spanning 90 percent of past sea ice extents for the date. Rapid expansion of ice in the Chukchi and Bering Seas and across Hudson Bay was responsible. The Antarctic summer sea ice decline slowed, moving the daily ice extent values above previous record low levels. For the year as a whole, however, low Antarctic sea ice was the dominant feature. Overview of conditions Figure 1a. Arctic sea ice extent for December 2023 was 12.00 million square kilometers (4.63 million square ..read more

While autumn sea ice growth is in full swing, brief pauses are not unusual. Starting November 22, the ice growth stalled almost completely for five days as a series of storms guided an atmospheric river into the Arctic, transporting warm, moist air. Overview of conditions Figure 1a. Arctic sea ice extent for November 2023 was 9.66 million square kilometers (3.73 million square miles). The magenta line shows the 1981 to 2010 average extent for that month. Sea Ice Index data. About the data Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center High-resolution image Figure 1b. The graph above shows Arcti ..read more

As the long Arctic winter sets in, sea ice extent has increased at a faster than average pace. By the end of October, the ice cover had reached the Siberian coast, while open water persisted along the coasts of the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. In the Antarctic, the spring decline in extent has been quite slow, but extent at the end of October remains at record low levels for this time of year. Overview of conditions Figure 1a. Arctic sea ice extent for October 2023 was 6.37 million square kilometers (2.46 million square miles). The magenta line shows the 1981 to 2010 average extent for that mon ..read more

A few days after the annual Arctic sea ice minimum extent was reached on September 19, the sun set at the North Pole, aiding sea ice growth. Arctic sea ice extent has grown at a fairly slow pace, leading to the fifth lowest September in the 45-year passive microwave satellite record. Antarctic sea ice extent has had an uptick in growth, but remains at record low levels for this time of year. Overview of conditions Figure 1a. Arctic sea ice extent for September 2023 was 4.37 million square kilometers (1.69 million square miles). The magenta line shows the 1981 to 2010 average extent for t ..read more

On September 19, Arctic sea ice likely reached its annual minimum extent of 4.23 million square kilometers (1.63 million square miles). The 2023 minimum is sixth lowest in the nearly 45-year satellite record. The last 17 years, from 2007 to 2023, are the lowest 17 sea ice extents in the satellite record. In the Antarctic, sea ice extent set unprecedented record lows through most of the growth season. Highly variable conditions are typical of Antarctic sea ice extent near the seasonal maximum, and ice may still continue to grow but will unlikely avoid set ..read more

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