Global sea ice cover hit a record low & third-warmest February

The amount of sea ice in Earth's polar regions dropped to an all-time low in February, researchers said on Wednesday. This is the latest sign of how the warming climate is changing the coldest parts of the world.

According to Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the total sea ice extent, which includes both the Arctic and Antarctic regions, hit a new record low in early February. The ice coverage stayed below the previous record from 2023 for the rest of the month.

Scientists have observed a steady decline in Arctic sea ice over time. The Arctic has been warming several times faster than the global average, and while sea ice usually reaches its peak each March, February 2025 recorded the lowest ice extent for that month in history.

Samantha Burgess, from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, said:

“February 2025 continues the streak of record or near-record temperatures seen over the last two years. One of the effects of a warmer world is melting sea ice, and the record or near-record low ice cover at both poles has pushed global sea ice extent to an all-time minimum.”

Why does this matter?

The loss of ice has serious effects not just on the polar regions but across the world. When bright white ice and snow melt, they expose the darker ocean beneath. Instead of reflecting sunlight back into space, the darker surface absorbs heat, which speeds up global warming.

Julien Nicolas, a senior scientist at Copernicus, explained that unusually high temperatures in the Arctic contributed to the ice loss. He also pointed out that sea surface temperatures remained much higher than usual in many parts of the world.

"It was really a combination of warm ocean waters, warm air, and atmospheric conditions," he said.

Despite some fluctuations from month to month, scientists have been documenting significant changes in the polar regions for decades.

The latest figures from Copernicus match findings from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Colorado. The NSIDC reported that Arctic sea ice levels were at a record low for February, partly due to air temperatures that were more than 20 degrees above average in some areas.

The NSIDC also found that the extent of Arctic sea ice was about 85,000 square miles below the previous record low for February. This decline is part of a long-term trend observed since satellites began monitoring polar ice nearly 50 years ago.

Walt Meier, a senior scientist at the NSIDC, described the situation:

"In the Arctic, we’ve seen a substantial and significant decrease in ice cover since satellite records began. This has been a relentless downward trend, and it is both widespread and significant."

Antarctica also losing ice

For many years, scientists did not see a clear pattern of long-term ice loss in Antarctica. However, that has started to change in recent years.

Julien Nicolas explained:

"Up until a few years ago, there was no real trend in Antarctic sea ice extent. But since about 2017, we have seen a series of large drops in ice cover, especially around this time of year when it usually reaches its annual minimum."

The shrinking ice levels have serious consequences both locally and globally. In the Arctic, communities face stronger coastal erosion from larger waves. Indigenous groups that rely on ice for hunting can no longer depend on traditional patterns. Wildlife, such as polar bears and seals, also have to adjust their hunting and migration behaviors.

But melting ice does more than just change local ecosystems. It creates a feedback loop where less ice leads to even warmer temperatures, which then causes even more ice to melt.

Nicolas explained:

"As the sea ice melts, more solar radiation is absorbed by the ocean instead of being reflected back into space. Without this protective ice cover, the ocean warms even faster, leading to even less ice in the future."

The record-low sea ice extent in February came during what Copernicus described as the third warmest February globally. The agency also noted that this was the 19th month out of the last 20 in which global temperatures were more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels—a critical limit that world leaders are trying to stay below.

Samantha Burgess reiterated the urgency of the situation:

"February 2025 continues the streak of record or near-record temperatures observed throughout the last two years."

Scientists warn that continued greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels will make ice-free conditions in the Arctic during summer a real possibility in the coming decades.

Walt Meier explained:

"It’s an early warning system for the climate. The loss of sea ice is a clear sign that the planet is warming."

If global temperatures exceed 2°C of warming, the Arctic could become ice-free in the summer most or all years, according to climate models. This could happen by mid-century or even sooner, Meier warned. The consequences of this change would go far beyond the Arctic, affecting weather patterns, ocean currents, and global climate stability.

"We are heading into a climate that modern human civilization has never experienced before," Meier said.

The EU climate monitor relies on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations to track climate trends. Its records date back to 1940, but scientists also use data from ice cores, tree rings, and coral skeletons to study climate patterns from thousands of years ago.

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