Global sea ice extent update
Arctic sea ice extent for the month of December ended up as the seventh lowest in the satellite record, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The satellite record began in 1979.
The image below shows the plot of Arctic sea ice extent during the month of December going back to 1979. Despite the slight increase from 2020 to 2022, the long-term, downward trend is clear.
The most recent estimate (as of Jan. 8, 2023) continues to show the Arctic sea ice extent running well below the 1981-2010 median and slightly under the annual record minimum year of 2012.
Tracking the full year (2022) of Arctic sea ice extent, the NSIDC found that last year's annual September minimum extent was tied with 2010 for the 11th lowest extent on record going back to 1979. Compared to some recent years, that does not sound all that dire, but you can still see that it was still well below the 1981-2010 median.
Antarctic sea ice extent
Antarctic Sea Ice extent was the lowest on record (going back to 1979) for the second half of the December period in 2022. The previous record low during this period was set back in 2018.
A total of four out of the five lowest late December sea ice extents in the Antarctic have all occurred since 2016, according to the NSIDC.
