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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Light reflects off Arctic sea ice.
News Release

Arctic sea ice has likely reached its minimum extent for the year at 4.67 million square kilometers (1.80 million square miles) on September 18, 2022, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Co

Figure 1a
Analysis - Ice Sheets Today
As most of the western United States baked under a prolonged, record-setting heatwave at the beginning of September, Greenland also underwent a very unusual late-season melt event.
Analysis - Sea Ice Today

Summer in the Arctic is drawing to a close, and sea ice extent is likely to remain higher than in recent years. Several polynyas have formed poleward of 85 degrees North within the pack as well as areas near the thin ice edge.