Arctic Sea Ice Hits Record Winter Low, Antarctic Near Record: Global Sea Ice Dwindles

New data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reveals Arctic sea ice reached its smallest winter peak extent in 47 years of satellite records, hitting 14.33m square kilometers on March 22, 2025. This is 1.31m km2 below the 1981-2010 average and 800,000km2 smaller than the 2017 record. While a small winter peak doesn't guarantee a record-low summer minimum, it continues the long-term decline. Simultaneously, Antarctic sea ice tied for the second-smallest summer low with 2022 and 2024. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reports the combined effect led to an all-time minimum global sea ice extent in February 2025. Factors contributing to the Arctic's low ice extent include above-average temperatures and cyclones causing ice melt. The Antarctic melt season began with a winter maximum that was also the second-lowest on record. Dr. Samantha Burgess of C3S notes this reflects the impact of a warming world on sea ice.