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.
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News Release
Antarctic sea ice has likely reached its minimum extent for the year, at 1.79 million square kilometers (691,000 square miles) on February 21, 2023, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. The 2023 minimum is the lowest in the 45-year satellite record.
Ask a Scientist
Senior research scientist Walt Meier discusses why scientists are conservative about Arctic sea ice loss. He stresses that for something as complex as climate, it is important to not focus too much on a single extreme event or on short-term trends.
Ask a Scientist
Since the 1980s, extreme weather events have increased, affecting millions of people across the globe. Multiple studies have suggested a potential causal relationship between Arctic ice retreat and extreme weather in the midlatitudes, but not all climate scientists agree that a clear relationship exists.
Analysis - Sea Ice Today
Antarctic sea ice extent appears to have broken the record low set last year. With a couple more weeks likely left in the melt season, the extent is expected to drop further before reaching its annual minimum.
Analysis - Snow Today
A series of atmospheric rivers significantly increased snow-covered area and snow water equivalent in the California Sierra Nevada, and to a lesser extent the delivery of snow inland to Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. Snow-covered area for the western United States was 125 percent of average for January with above average snow cover in most regions.
Analysis - Ice Sheets Today
Surface melting over Antarctica was near-average through January, but above average surface melting occurred on both the northeastern and southwestern areas of the Antarctic Peninsula.