Arctic Sea Ice Shrinks to Its 2026 Minimum

What happened

But satellite records show the ice now covers less of the Arctic Ocean at its annual maximum and minimum than it did a few decades ago. Sea ice in 2026 reached its annual minimum extent on September 12 (above), when it covered an estimated 4.6 million square kilometers (1.78 million square miles), according to NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

Satellite records show Arctic sea ice covering less of the ocean in both winter and summer. A layer of frozen seawater caps the Arctic Ocean.

This sea ice grows through the long polar winter, usually peaking in March, then melts through the summer to its annual low in September. It is a natural fluctuation that has persisted for millennia.