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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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.
Analysis - Sea Ice Today
With the generous support of the Climate Science and Communication Fund from Surge Climate Talent, NSIDC’s Ice Sheets and Sea Ice News and Analysis (ISSINA) is able to start up monthly science assessments for the Sea Ice Today site.
Analysis - Snow Today
Snow-covered area across the western United States was 49 percent of average for May, ranking last in the 26-year satellite record. Snow water equivalent remained well below average in most states during May, confirming a worrisome outlook for the summer.
Analysis - Snow Today
Snow-covered area in April across the western United States was 41 percent of average, at 118,00 square kilometers (46,000 square miles) of snow cover, ranking last in the 26-year satellite record. Snow water equivalent (SWE) remained well below average in most states during April.
Analysis - Snow Today
Snow Today has expanded spatial coverage from the western US and New Zealand to now include Alaska and four Canadian provinces: Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, and Alberta. Snow-covered area in March averaged across the western United States was 34 percent of average, at 209,000 square kilometers (81,000 square miles) of snow cover, ranking last in the 26-year satellite record. Snow water equivalent (SWE) decreased in all western states except Montana and Washington.
Spotlight
Since its inception, the Arctic Report Card has relied upon NSIDC scientists as authors and/or editors nearly every year, and incorporated NSIDC data in every single issue.