Antarctic sea ice hits third-lowest winter maximum in September 2026
NASA Earth Observatory reports that Antarctic sea ice reached its annual peak in September 2026 at the third-lowest level on record.
Record low extent confirmed
Scientists measured the ice coverage against decades of satellite data to determine the ranking. The total area covered was approximately 17.59 million square kilometers. This figure represents a significant drop compared to previous winter peaks.
Geographic factors involved
The continent allows ice to spread outward into warmer ocean regions during the winter season. Such expansion pushes frozen water toward areas where summer melting is more likely to occur. This geographic setup differs from the enclosed basins found in the Arctic region.
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