Scientists: Antarctic Sea Ice Levels At Record Low

The Washington Post reports:

Sea ice levels around Antarctica just registered a record low — and by a wide margin — as winter comes to a close, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). This significant milestone adds worry that Antarctic sea ice may be entering a state of decline brought on by climate change.

“There is some concern that this may be the beginning of a long-term trend of decline for Antarctic sea ice, since oceans are warming globally, and warm water mixing in the Southern Ocean polar layer could continue,” read the NSIDC announcement released Monday.

This year, Antarctica reached its annual maximum coverage on Sept. 10, about 13 days earlier than average. At that time, the annual ice coverage was at a record low of 6.55 million square miles — a whopping 398,000 square miles lower than the previous record low set in 1986.

Read the full article.

Sea ice levels around Antarctica just registered a record low — and by a wide margin — as winter comes to a close. This significant milestone adds worry that Antarctic sea ice may be entering a state of decline brought on by climate change. https://t.co/gI3soqs1lm

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 26, 2023