In the northern hemisphere, sea ice cover on the 3 March 2026 registered an extent of 13.83 million km ², 1.2 million km ² (and about 8%) below the long-term average Maximum sea ice extent is likely to be reached in the coming days.
Regionally, the sea ice edge has receded in almost all the areas of the Arctic bordering the North Pacific and North Atlantic, more specifically in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Barents Sea. Winter sea ice in the Barents and Kara Seas has been forming later in the season, caused by significantly high sea surface temperatures in the region in November and December 2025.
Following the trend observed in the latest years, winter sea ice in the Arctic remains well below the average and close to record-low levels.
Sea ice volume in the Arctic is steadily declining, and since 2021 has been breaking records each year. Maximum sea ice volume should be reached in the coming days.
Maximum sea ice volume should be reached in the coming days. On 3 March 2026 it was measured at 14.29 thousand km3 – -12.59 thousand km³ (or around 47%) below the long-term average 1993-2020.
Sea ice cover in the Southern Ocean likely reached its minimum for the year on 25 February 2026, with an extent of 2.36 million km². Globally, the 2026 summer extent follows very closely the long-term trend of 1993-2010 for the same date, with a difference of -0.039 million km², and -1.6% in sea ice. Note that the date of the minimum and sea ice extent values may vary between datasets. For instance, the Copernicus Climate Change Service system has detected a daily sea ice minimum value in Antarctic on 22 February.
Regionally, in the northwestern part of the Weddell Sea, a significant sea ice extent survived the summer, contrary to what has been observed in the previous years (2023, 2024 and 2025). Positive anomalies are also detected in the Amundsen Sea and in various regions along the East Antarctic coast, in the areas of Cosmonauts Sea, Cooperation Sea and Dumont d’urville.
Sea ice volume around the Antarctica reached its minimum at 1.22 thousand km3 – 1.06 thousand km3 below the long-term average.
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*Image citation: European Union, Copernicus Marine Service Data 2025 I © Mercator Ocean
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