This winter, the Arctic sea ice likely reached its largest coverage of the year on March 22, which is later than usual. Despite the extra time to grow, it still marked the smallest winter sea ice maximum recorded in 47 years of satellite observations.

Scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center indicate that this record low reflects a clear trend: the Arctic is losing sea ice over time. Notably, all ten of the smallest winter ice coverages have occurred since 2007, highlighting ongoing changes in the Arctic.