Antarctic Sea Ice Hits 2026 Peak at Third-Lowest Recorded Extent

And the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Antarctic sea ice likely reached its 2026 maximum on September 14, covering an estimated 17.59 million square kilometres—making it the third-lowest peak ever documented. The continent’s ice normally expands through the Southern Hemisphere winter, reaching its greatest extent in September before melting back to a minimum in February. While the 1979-2014 period saw a modest rise of about 1 percent per decade, a reversal began in 2015 and accelerated after 2016, leading to generally lower extents and record lows in 2023. Satellite observations rely on passive microwave sensors, which can see through clouds, and have been provided by missions such as Nimbus-7, DMSP, Aqua and Japan’s GCOM-W. Researchers will keep tracking the trend to decide whether the recent decline is a temporary fluctuation or part of a longer-term climate shift.