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.

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Analysis - Sea Ice Today

After reaching its seasonal maximum extent of 14.88 million square kilometers (5.75 million square miles) on February 25, the seasonal decline in Arctic sea ice extent through March proceeded in fits and starts.

This NASA Blue Marble image shows Arctic sea ice extent on March 24, 2016
News Release

Arctic sea ice has likely reached its maximum extent for the year, at 14.88 million square kilometers (5.75 million square miles) on February 25, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorad

Snow albedo, Feb-28-2022
Analysis - Snow Today
Across the western United States, the snow cover maximum for 2022 occurred on February 24, a few weeks later than average. Snow-covered area was 88 percent of average for February. Snow water equivalent was below average...
Figure 4e
Analysis - Ice Sheets Today
As a whole, surface melting on the Antarctic Ice Sheet has been near average. After a series of warm events followed by intense down-slope winds, the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula sustained widespread melting . The Peninsula also experienced a strong late-season melt event.