Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 2026 Annual Minimum Extent
Arctic sea ice reached its 2026 annual minimum on Sept. 12, NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported. The ice covered an estimated 1.78 million square miles, or 4.6 million square kilometers, tying the years 2008, 2010 and 2025 for the 10th-lowest minimum in the satellite record.
Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum extent on Sept. 12, according to NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The ice covered an estimated 1.78 million square miles, equivalent to 4.6 million square kilometers. The 2026 minimum tied 2008, 2010 and 2025 for the 10th-lowest minimum in the satellite record.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What conditions contributed to the ice extent recorded on Sept. 12?
How might the ranking change as the estimate is refined?
What effects could follow from the extent remaining near historically low levels?
Which regional areas accounted for the largest changes in ice coverage?
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