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
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
Compiled from passive microwave sensor data, these images show Arctic sea ice extent for September 2002 and March 2003.
Published May 16, 2009
Since satellites began monitoring sea ice in 1979, researchers have observed a decline in the average extent of Arctic sea ice in every month of the year.
Published Sep 16, 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
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
Sea ice naturally grows and melts each year, but the process has been more extreme in recent years.
Published May 3, 2011
This animation shows Arctic sea ice shrinking to a near record minimum in the summer of 2011.
Published Sep 22, 2011
On August 26, 2012, Arctic sea ice broke all previous records weeks ahead of the end of melt season.
Published Aug 28, 2012
These maps compare Arctic sea ice minimum extents in 1984 (a year with average coverage) and 2012 (the new record low).
Published Sep 27, 2012
Ice cover in the Sea of Okhotsk and Barents Sea are below normal, while other areas are closer to the average. But the overall trend of shrinking sea ice continues.
Published Apr 10, 2014
Arctic sea ice has been retreating the fastest in the Beaufort Sea.
Published Oct 18, 2017
In 2017, the Arctic maximum and Antarctic minimum extents of sea ice plunged to record lows.
Published Mar 23, 2017
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
Sea ice extent for January 2016 was one of the lowest on record since space-based observations began in 1978.
Published Feb 18, 2016
The Arctic sea ice extent continues its long-term downward trend.
Published Sep 22, 2020Image of the Day Heat Land Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Sea and Lake Ice
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
alert message
