The Arctic just had its weakest winter sea ice growth since satellite tracking began in 1979, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. This year, the sea ice reached a maximum of 14.33 million square kilometers, about 80,000 square kilometers less than the previous record low in 2017. The drop in sea ice is a clear sign of ongoing climate change. The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, and this faster warming is affecting how sea ice forms and melts. Normally, ice builds up in winter and melts in summer, but warmer conditions and thinner ice are weakening this cycle.

Scientists from places like the Woodwell Climate Research Center and the University of Manitoba say the situation is both new and worrying. The effects of shrinking Arctic ice are being felt far beyond the region. A weaker jet stream, influenced by smaller temperature differences between the poles and the equator, is leading to strange weather in places farther south—such as longer cold spells, stronger storms, and more intense rainfall. On top of that, the remaining ice is now thinner and covers less area, so it will likely melt faster this summer. February 2025 also saw the lowest global sea ice levels ever recorded, adding to the growing climate crisis.