Arctic Sea Ice Hits Record Low
18 April 2025 路 Uncategorized 路
Source: 路 https://technews.tw/2025/04/05/arctic-winter-sea-ice-reaches-record-low/
Data from NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder indicate that Arctic sea ice reached a historical low on March 22, when its annual maximum extent for winter was recorded. The largest coverage area during the 2024-2025 winter season spanned approximately 14.33 million square kilometers鈥攁 new record, falling just short of the previous mark of 14.41 million set in 2017.
Since scientists began tracking ice cover half a century ago, an overall decreasing trend has been observed. During Arctic winters, as darkness and cold temperatures prevail, sea ice typically forms and spreads across the Arctic Ocean; however, new formations have become less frequent over recent years, with even multi-year accumulations declining. This winter鈥檚 maximum coverage area was 132 million square kilometers below the average for the period from 1981 to 2010.
Simultaneously, Antarctic summer ice extent retreated on March 1st to just 1.98 million square kilometers鈥攁 second-lowest minimum record in history. This represents a reduction of approximately 30% compared with the pre-2010 average of around 2.84 million square kilometers for Antarctica. The decline at both poles has resulted in an all-time low total global sea ice extent.
In mid-February, overall coverage area was roughly 250 thousand square kilometers less than averages prior to 2010. Scientists primarily use satellites from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, to measure microwave radiation on Earth's surface; these images highlight areas covered in ice even through clouds due to differences in brightness between open water and sea ice, enabling long-term monitoring.
Since scientists began tracking ice cover half a century ago, an overall decreasing trend has been observed. During Arctic winters, as darkness and cold temperatures prevail, sea ice typically forms and spreads across the Arctic Ocean; however, new formations have become less frequent over recent years, with even multi-year accumulations declining. This winter鈥檚 maximum coverage area was 132 million square kilometers below the average for the period from 1981 to 2010.
Simultaneously, Antarctic summer ice extent retreated on March 1st to just 1.98 million square kilometers鈥攁 second-lowest minimum record in history. This represents a reduction of approximately 30% compared with the pre-2010 average of around 2.84 million square kilometers for Antarctica. The decline at both poles has resulted in an all-time low total global sea ice extent.
In mid-February, overall coverage area was roughly 250 thousand square kilometers less than averages prior to 2010. Scientists primarily use satellites from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, to measure microwave radiation on Earth's surface; these images highlight areas covered in ice even through clouds due to differences in brightness between open water and sea ice, enabling long-term monitoring.