Sea ice extent remained anomalously low in 2024. Annual mean Antarctic and Arctic sea ice extent was 10.38 million km2 and 10.42 million km2, respectively, the 2nd and 7th lowest of the satellite record.
Key points
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Global annual mean sea ice extent (Antarctic and Arctic combined) was 20.79 million km2 in 2024, the second lowest in the satellite record.
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Antarctic sea ice extent was generally the second lowest on record, including the annual mean (10.38 million km2), the summer monthly minimum (1.91 million km2) and winter monthly maximum (17.06 million km2).
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The Arctic experienced the 6th lowest September sea ice extent (4.38 million km2), the lowest December sea ice extent (11.42 million km2), and record regional lows in the Canadian Archipelago and Hudson Bay.
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Acknowledgements
L.R. was supported by the Initiative and Networking Fund of the Helmholtz Association. W.M. was supported by the NASA Earth Science Data and Information System project.
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Roach, L.A., Meier, W.N. Sea ice in 2024. Nat Rev Earth Environ 6, 252–254 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00662-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00662-1
