Arctic sea ice reaches the lowest maximum extension in 47 years

On March 22, Arctic Marine ice probably reached its maximum extension of the year, with 14.33 million square kilometers, according to the preliminary analysis disseminated by the NSIDC (National Snow and Ice Data Center).

This surface is 1.31 million square kilometers lower than the maximum average of the 1981-2010 period of 15.64 million square kilometers and 80,000 square kilometers lower than the lowest lower previousregistered on March 7, 2017.

The maximum of this year occurred 10 days after March 12, the average date of the period 1981-2010. The maximum date has varied considerably over the years, from February 24 in 1987 and 1996 to April 2 in 2010.

The low extension of sea ice persisted in most of the Arctic during the winter season from 2024 to 2025. It should be noted that the Gulf of San Lorenzo (Canada) remained practically without ice and the sea of ​​OjoTSK (Russia) presented an extension of seabed considerably less than the average.

Temperature between 1 and 2 higher degrees

Only the East Greenland Sea maintained an extension close to the average during the winter. The extension of the ice in the Bering Sea (between America and Asia) was low during much of the season, but the growth from the end of February to the end of March approached the region to the medium conditions and was the main factor that contributed to the increase in total Arctic Marine ice during March.

The temperatures were 1 to 2 degrees Celsius higher than the average in the Arctic and the surrounding seas, which probably slowed the ice growth rate.