Arctic and Antarctic Daily Sea Ice Extent
The Art
The Graph
Tracking Daily Polar Sea Ice Extent
“..Sea ice
· During a large part of 2024, sea ice extent reached historically low values around Antarctica. At its annual minimum in February, the monthly extent ranked third lowest on record. From June onward, the monthly extent ranked either second lowest behind 2023, or lowest (in November).
· In the Arctic, the sea ice extent was relatively close to its 1991–2020 average until June but fell well below average in the following months. At its annual minimum in September, the monthly extent ranked fifth lowest in the satellite record.
In the Antarctic, after reaching record lows for the time of year through most of 2023, the sea ice extent was again well below average during several months of 2024. The annual minimum extent in February was the third lowest in the satellite record. From June to October, the monthly extents were the second lowest for those months, behind 2023, while November set a new record low for the month. Antarctic sea ice concentration anomalies varied by ocean sector and by month but notably there was much-reduced ice cover in the Atlantic sector. Open water is often warmer than the air above, particularly during winter months, so the reduced sea ice cover contributed to unusually high surface air temperatures around Antarctica. These elevated regional temperatures were a factor, albeit not a primary one, in the record or near-record global temperatures of 2024. In contrast to the pronounced decline in Arctic sea ice since the 1980s, persistent large negative anomalies in Antarctic sea ice extent have only been observed since 2016. Warmer ocean temperatures and atmospheric circulation patterns are likely contributing factors, but research is ongoing.
In the Arctic, sea ice extent was close to its 1991–2020 average until June. This behaviour was in line with that often observed since 2021. However, from July 2024 onward, the sea ice extent was significantly below average. At its annual minimum in September, the monthly extent ranked fifth lowest in the satellite record. The year ended with the lowest December extent on record…”
The art was created placing the two graphs side-by-side.
Copernicus, The 2024 Annual climate Summary
Global Climate Highlights 2024, https://climate.copernicus.eu
