Copernicus/ESA - Global Sea Ice hit All-Time Low In February; Arctic Ice 8% Below Avg, Antarctic Ice 26% Below
Global sea ice fell to a record low in February, scientists have said, a symptom of an atmosphere fouled by planet-heating pollutants. The combined area of ice around the north and south poles hit a new daily minimum in early February and stayed below the previous record for the rest of the month, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Thursday. “One of the consequences of a warmer world is melting sea ice,” said the C3S deputy director, Samantha Burgess. “The record or near-record low sea ice cover at both poles has pushed global sea ice cover to an all-time minimum.”
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The agency found the area of sea ice hit its lowest monthly level for February in the Arctic, at 8% below average, and its fourth-lowest monthly level for February in the Antarctic, at 26% below average. Its satellite observations stretch back to the late 1970s and its historical observations to the middle of the 20th century.
Scientists had already observed an extreme heat anomaly in the north pole at the start of February, which caused temperatures to soar more than 20C above average and cross the threshold for ice to melt. They described the latest broken record as “particularly worrying” because ice reflects sunlight and cools the planet.
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The strong winter warming event in the Arctic in early February had prevented sea ice from growing normally, he added. “I believe that this meteorological event, combined with the long-term decline of sea ice due to anthropogenic climate change, was the primary cause of the lowest Arctic sea ice extent on record.” Global sea ice extent varies throughout the year but typically reaches its annual minimum in February, when it is summer in the southern hemisphere. C3S said February 2025 was the third hottest February it had seen. Global temperatures were 1.59C hotter than preindustrial levels, making it the 19th month in the past 20 that was more than 1.5C above preindustrial levels.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/06/global-sea-ice-hit-all-time-minimum-in-february-scientists-say