The extent of Arctic sea ice peaked at 15.24 million square kilometers on March 18, 2012. It was the ninth consecutive year of maximum extents below the long-term average.
Published Mar 27, 2012
Acquired April 11 and 24, 2012, these images show the movement of sea ice in the Bering Sea with the advance of spring.
Published May 6, 2012
Persistent, strong northerly winds have stretched the ice cover to its second widest extent.
Published Mar 20, 2012
Warm temperatures and a stormy winter caused sea ice in the Bering Sea to plunge to record lows.
Published May 3, 2018
The ice cap tied for the sixth lowest extent on record, continuing a long-term decline.
Published Sep 28, 2018Image of the Day Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Sea and Lake Ice
The 2014 arctic sea ice minimum is the sixth lowest on record, while antarctic sea ice continues to exceed the record maximum extent.
Published Sep 24, 2014
This animation shows Arctic sea ice shrinking to a near record minimum in the summer of 2011.
Published Sep 22, 2011
The long-term trend for Arctic sea ice extent has been definitively downward.
Published Sep 23, 2019Image of the Day Heat Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Sea and Lake Ice
Sea ice extent for January 2016 was one of the lowest on record since space-based observations began in 1978.
Published Feb 18, 2016
These images show overall Arctic sea ice extent on September 19, 2010 (the date of the 2010 minimum), and sea ice growth in mid-September 2010.
Published Oct 6, 2010
On September 12, 2009, sea ice reached its annual minimum extent, covering 5.10 million square kilometers (2.97 million square miles) of the Arctic Ocean. This image shows the 2009 ice extent compared to the 1979-2000 average.
Published Sep 19, 2009
In April 2016, unusually warm temperatures and heavy winds broke the sea ice pack to pieces.
Published May 20, 2016
Compiled from passive microwave sensor data, these images show Arctic sea ice extent for September 2002 and March 2003.
Published May 16, 2009
As the Arctic experienced a new record summer minimum for ice extent, the Antarctic set a new record for maximum winter sea ice.
Published Oct 11, 2012
Arctic sea ice has been retreating the fastest in the Beaufort Sea.
Published Oct 18, 2017
Thin sea ice swirled along the east coast of Greenland in October 2012, against a backdrop of overall thinning sea ice.
Published Oct 27, 2012
