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Topic: Sea ice

People gather to ice fish on a frozen, snow-covered lake in Alaska.

NOAA teams up with Alaskans to create new tool to predict ice breakup

July 18, 2025

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Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples

People gather to ice fish on a frozen, snow-covered lake in Alaska.

Chilean Antarctic Program boat in Anvers Island, Antarctica. Bob Farrell, Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Earth just had its 3rd-warmest February on record

March 12, 2025

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monthly climate report

Chilean Antarctic Program boat in Anvers Island, Antarctica. Bob Farrell, Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

January 16, 2025: The sun rises over mist that formed over the countryside in Somerset, England. January 2025 was the world's warmest January in NOAA’s 176-year global climate record.

January temperature marks new global milestone

February 12, 2025

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monthly climate report

global average temperatures

January 16, 2025: The sun rises over mist that formed over the countryside in Somerset, England. January 2025 was the world's warmest January in NOAA’s 176-year global climate record.

OCTOBER 31, 2024: A view of Mount Fuji in Yamanakako Village, Japan. Japan's iconic Mount Fuji has yet to receive any snowfall this year, marking the latest date without snow since the Japan Meteorological Agency’s records began 130 years ago. October 2024 was Earth’s second-warmest October in NOAA’s 175-year record.

Planet saw its 2nd-warmest October in 175-year record

November 13, 2024

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monthly climate report

OCTOBER 31, 2024: A view of Mount Fuji in Yamanakako Village, Japan. Japan's iconic Mount Fuji has yet to receive any snowfall this year, marking the latest date without snow since the Japan Meteorological Agency’s records began 130 years ago. October 2024 was Earth’s second-warmest October in NOAA’s 175-year record.

This map shows Antarctic sea ice concentration on September 19, 2024, the likely date of the 2024 hemispheric maximum. Higher sea ice concentrations appear in white, and lower concentrations appear in blue. The mustard-colored line is the 1981-2010 median extent for September 19. (Median means "in the middle." Half of the years had larger extents; half had smaller.)

2024 Antarctic sea ice winter maximum 2nd-lowest on record

October 22, 2024

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This map shows Antarctic sea ice concentration on September 19, 2024, the likely date of the 2024 hemispheric maximum. Higher sea ice concentrations appear in white, and lower concentrations appear in blue. The mustard-colored line is the 1981-2010 median extent for September 19. (Median means "in the middle." Half of the years had larger extents; half had smaller.)

Monitoring Arctic sea ice conditions provides a window into changes in the Arctic climate as well as the global climate. Credit: NOAA

Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA invest $1.8 million to expand critical ice and ocean observations in the Arctic

October 1, 2024

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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Monitoring Arctic sea ice conditions provides a window into changes in the Arctic climate as well as the global climate. Credit: NOAA

AUGUST 17, 2024: A person walks through an art installation as it sprays a cloud of cool water vapor in Dover, United Kingdom. August 2024 was Europe’s — and the world’s — warmest August on record.

Earth had its hottest August in 175-year record

September 12, 2024

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monthly climate report

AUGUST 17, 2024: A person walks through an art installation as it sprays a cloud of cool water vapor in Dover, United Kingdom. August 2024 was Europe’s — and the world’s — warmest August on record.

In the early morning hours, sunlight returns to the Arctic in spring, illuminating sea ice in a blue glow, after months of winter darkness.

5 things to know about an 'ice-free' Arctic

May 14, 2024

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In the early morning hours, sunlight returns to the Arctic in spring, illuminating sea ice in a blue glow, after months of winter darkness.

A shoreline view of Lake Michigan, just north of Muskegon, Michigan, on February 11, 2024. Though small chunks of ice dot the sandy beach, there is little-to-no ice coverage on the lake. Usually in February, the ice would be many inches thick at this same location, and the waves would be well off shore.

The Great Lakes this winter: Where did all the ice cover go?

February 14, 2024

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A shoreline view of Lake Michigan, just north of Muskegon, Michigan, on February 11, 2024. Though small chunks of ice dot the sandy beach, there is little-to-no ice coverage on the lake. Usually in February, the ice would be many inches thick at this same location, and the waves would be well off shore.

October 4, 2023: An aerial view of the drought-hit harbor of Cacau Pirêra, where houses that normally float on the water are lying on the river bed in Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil. October 2023 was the world’s — and South America’s — warmest October on record.

The planet just had its warmest October on record

November 15, 2023

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monthly climate report

October 4, 2023: An aerial view of the drought-hit harbor of Cacau Pirêra, where houses that normally float on the water are lying on the river bed in Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil. October 2023 was the world’s — and South America’s — warmest October on record.

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