Carbon Brief · Climate & nature

Antarctic Sea Ice Hits Third-Lowest Winter Peak

Antarctic sea ice reached its third-lowest winter peak in 48 years of satellite records on September 14th, with an extent of 17.59 million square kilometers.

Experts are concerned about the persistence of these low values, needing more time to determine if it signals a structural shift.

This year's peak was well below the seasonal average, a concerning trend after decades of stability or increase.

July and August saw the fifth and fourth lowest extents on record, respectively, with recent years dominating the lowest records.

Regional sea ice patterns varied, with initial ice-free conditions in the Bellingshausen Sea later recovering, while the Amundsen Sea saw changes.

The Arctic reached its 10th-lowest summer minimum on September 12th, with the last 20 years holding the lowest extents.

While not a record, the Arctic minimum is lower than pre-2007 levels, reflecting fundamental changes due to climate change.

The PIOMAS sea ice thickness system has ceased updates, and resuming it faces significant funding and time hurdles.

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