News & Stories

Across the globe, snow and ice play a vital role in regulating Earth’s climate and providing freshwater resources to people, plants, and animals.

As Earth’s frozen regions change rapidly, NSIDC is committed to growing its research and open access data to better understand these changes. Read about NSIDC research and its contribution to science and policy making. Check out spotlights on how to use NSIDC data, tools, and resources. Learn about how we steward data and collaborate with scientists and organizations across the world to understand how the frozen parts of Earth affect the rest of the planet and impact society.

News and stories

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Map and graph of SWE changes
Analysis - Snow Today
For snow water equivalent (SWE), the prevailing La Niña pattern persisted through March, with above average SWE in the north and below average SWE in the south. A blizzard in mid-March brought widespread and deep snow...
Arctic sea ice extent image on March 21, 2021
News Release

Arctic sea ice has likely reached its maximum extent for the year, at 14.77 million square kilometers (5.70 million square miles) on March 21, 2021, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the Universi

Analysis - Sea Ice Today

Sea ice extent for February 2021 tracked well below average, but at month’s end was still higher than levels recorded in several recent years. Extent grew at an average pace.

Graphs showing heavy snow in Nebraska
Analysis - Snow Today
Snow-covered area in the western United States increased from 54 percent of average in January to 77 percent in February, and likely reached maximum coverage on February 17, two weeks later than average. Snow cover days increased significantly...