Antarctica sea ice melts to a record low

The amount of floating sea ice encircling Antarctica reached the lowest level ever recorded, and the ice extent is expected to shrink even further before this year’s summer melting season ends


ANTARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT
As of Feb 2023

100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

Weddell Sea
Bellingshausen Sea
Amundsen Sea
ANTARCTICA
WEST ANTARCTICA
Ross Sea
South Pole
EAST ANTARCTICA

Median sea ice extent, Feb 1981-2010

1,000km 620 miles


ANTARCTIC ANNUAL MINIMUM SEA ICE EXTENT (1979-2023) 
Data from last 40 years shows great variability, but downward trend in past few years may indicate climate crisis is finally manifesting

Extent (millions square kilometres)

4.0 
3.5 
3.0 
2.5 
2.0 
1.5 
1.0 
0.5
0.0
	1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013 2018 2023

Feb 13, 2023: 1.91 million sq km – lower than previous record of 1.92 million sq km set
on Feb 25, 2022


Source: National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) 
Picture: Getty Images 
© GRAPHIC NEWS