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.
News and stories
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News Release
Arctic sea ice likely reached its minimum extent for the year, at 4.60 million square kilometers (1.78 million square miles) on September 12, 2026. In the Antarctic, sea ice extent has been tracking near record low levels for most of the growth season, most likely reaching its maximum extent on September 14 at 17.59 million square kilometers (6.79 million square miles). If this maximum date holds, this will be the third lowest Antarctic sea ice maximum on record.
Analysis - Sea Ice Today
On September 12, Arctic sea ice likely reached its annual minimum extent of 4.60 million square kilometers (1.78 million square miles). The 2026 minimum shares the tenth lowest spot in the nearly 48-year satellite record with 2008, 2010, and 2025. The last 20 years, from 2007 to 2026, are the lowest 20 sea ice extents in the satellite record. In the Antarctic, sea ice extent most likely reached its maximum extent on September 14 at 17.59 million square kilometers (6.79 million square miles). If this maximum date holds, this will be the third lowest Antarctic sea ice maximum on record.
Feature Story
NSIDC celebrates 50 years in operation as of September 2026. In 1976, the United States celebrated its bicentennial, disco topped the charts, and no one had yet seen a Star Wars movie. That same year, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) opened its doors.
Spotlight
As NSIDC reflects on 50 years in operation, past and present NSIDC researchers round up their favorite and most impactful publications. Also included are NSIDC contributions to annual reports: the Arctic Report Card and the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society’s State of the Climate.
Feature Story
Even the most well-intentioned Arctic research can fall short for Indigenous communities. In 2021, the NNA-Community Office (CO) was established to help coordinate multiple projects, build lasting partnerships, and offer resources and opportunities for knowledge exchange. The central office is based at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), at the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder with partner locations at Alaska Pacific University (APU) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).
Analysis - Sea Ice Today
Greetings, readers! Our monthly sea ice analyses are returning just in time for the September equinox. In the Arctic, the sea ice extent this summer was tracking 2012 levels until August. While Siberia and the Canadian Archipelago experienced a very warm summer, the high-latitude Arctic Ocean was relatively cool. In the Antarctic, sea ice underwent an unusually large mid-winter decline over a week in August.