Arctic Sea Ice Extent
Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum each September. September Arctic sea ice is now declining at a rate of 13% per decade, relative to the 1981 to 2010 average. This graph shows the annual Arctic sea ice minimum each September since 1979, derived from satellite observations.
The animated time series below shows the annual Arctic sea ice minimum since 1979, based on satellite observations. The 2012 sea ice extent is the lowest in the satellite record.ANNUAL SEPTEMBER MINIMUM EXTENT
Data source: Satellite observations. Credit: NSIDC/NASA
Rate of Change
13.0
percent per decade
Time Series: 1979-2021
Data source: Satellite observations.
Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio
Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio
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