Antarctic sea ice reached ‘record-smashing low’ last month

A penguin stands on melting sea ice in Antarctica. — On June 27, 2023, sea ice extent in Antarctica was 1 million sq. miles (2.6 million sq. km) under the long-term common for this time of yr. (Picture credit score: Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu Company through Getty Pictures)

Antarctic sea ice ranges reached record-breaking lows final week — and this “extraordinary habits” might mark the beginning of its long-term decline, scientists warn.

As of June 27, the extent of sea ice in Antarctica was practically 1 million sq. miles (2.6 million sq. kilometers) under common for this time of yr, in contrast with the interval between 1981 to 2010, in accordance with the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That is equal to dropping an space of ice practically 4 occasions the dimensions of Texas.

The extent of sea ice on June 27 was additionally about 500,000 sq. miles (1.3 million sq. km) smaller than it was on the identical day final yr.

As a result of seasons are flipped in Antarctica relative to the Northern Hemisphere, it’s at present winter in Antarctica — and sea ice needs to be rising quick. Whereas sea ice is accumulating across the continent, this isn’t occurring on the identical fee and to the identical extent as in earlier years.

Associated: Antarctic sea ice at file low in February, satellite tv for pc knowledge reveal

“Within the midst of its winter development part, Antarctic sea ice has reached a file smashing-low extent for this time of yr,” NOAA workers wrote on Twitter. “Sea ice extent is approaching a half 1,000,000 sq. miles under the earlier lowest extent [for this day], noticed in 2022.”

In contrast with the interval between 1981 and 2010, sea ice has shrunk virtually uniformly across the continent’s margins, besides within the Amundsen Sea, off West Antarctica, the place sea ice has grown and prolonged additional out than common.

A map of Antarctica shows the extent of sea ice in June 2023 compared with the average between 1981 and 2010.

Sea ice has retreated virtually uniformly round Antarctica’s margins, besides within the Amundsen Sea. (Picture credit score: NOAA Local weather.gov, primarily based on knowledge from NSIDC)

In complete, Antarctic sea ice now covers roughly 4.5 million sq. miles (11.7 million sq. km), and this space is projected to develop till mid-to-late September, which is when sea ice extent often reaches its most of about 7.1 million sq. miles (18.4 million sq. km). The ice will then retreat throughout the Antarctic spring and summer season to succeed in its annual minimal of about 965,000 sq. miles (2.5 million sq. km), which is often recorded in late February to early March.

Antarctic sea ice extent reveals extra variation year-to-year than Arctic sea ice on account of geographic variations between the 2 areas. Besides, the present record-low is uncommon, NOAA representatives mentioned in a assertion.

Researchers have identified for a while that sea ice within the Arctic is on a long-term downward trajectory, with accelerating losses and dramatic, probably everlasting adjustments within the panorama pushed by local weather change. Traits in Antarctica are much less clear-cut, with the all-time-high winter most in sea ice extent recorded in 2014.

Researchers are measuring ranges of Antarctic sea ice persistently under the 1981-to-2010 common, with day by day file lows set since April 2023 and the lowest ranges since satellite tv for pc information started recorded in March, for the second yr in a row.

“Antarctic sea ice’s present extraordinary habits raises the query of whether or not this could possibly be the beginning of a longer-term pattern associated to local weather or ocean adjustments, however answering that query would require extra time, knowledge, and analysis,” NOAA representatives mentioned within the assertion.

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