Arctic+Antarcti sea ice

NSIDC recent Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent

The 'normal' or average limit of sea ice (orange line) is defined as 15% sea ice cover, according to the average of satellite observations 1979-2000. Sea ice may therefore well be encountered outside and open water areas inside the limit shown in the diagrams above. Map source: National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). Please use this link if you want to see the original figures or want to check for more recent updates than shown above. A detailed analysis is also available at this site. Supplementary Arctic sea ice maps are available here.

 

Graphs showing daily Arctic (left) and Antarctic (right) sea ice extent. Diagrams from National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). Please use this link if you want to see the original figures or want to check for more recent updates than shown above. A detailed analysis is also available at this site.

 

Sea ice extension last month compared to the two previous years

                            2007                                                                     2008                                                                  2009

The 'normal' limit of sea ice (purple line) is defined as 15% sea ice cover, according to satellite observations since November 1978. Sea ice may therefore well be encountered outside and open water areas inside the limit shown in the diagrams above. The total area of sea ice is indicated in square kilometres below each map. Map source: National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). Please use this link if you want to see the original figures or want to check for more recent updates than shown above. A detailed analysis is also available at this site.

 

Sea ice extension in a longer time perspective

December sea ice extent in both hemispheres since 1979, the satellite-era. Diagram source: National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). Please use this link if you want to see the original diagrams or want to check for more recent updates than shown above. A detailed analysis is also available at this site. Click here to see the global sea ice extent since 1979.

 

Graphs showing monthly Antarctic, Arctic and global sea ice extent since November 1978. The area covered by sea ice is defined as having at least 15% sea ice cover. Blue lines show monthly values, and red lines show the simple running 13 month average. Data kindly provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

 

 

Graph showing monthly global sea ice extent since January 2000. The area covered by sea ice is defined as having at least 15% sea ice cover. The blue line shows monthly values, and the red line shows the simple running 13 month average. Data kindly provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).