A Texas-size chunk of winter sea ice is missing from Antarctica
A record 650,000 square kilometers of winter sea ice has vanished from Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea, an area twice the size of Rajasthan. Temperatures near the west coast remain 20°C above average, preventing ice formation despite peak winter conditions. Scientists warn this loss may worsen climate feedback loops and harm marine life. Satellite data confirms the absence of ice, with no signs of refreezing.
What changed
New data confirms the missing ice area is 650,000 sq km—larger than previous estimates—and explicitly compares it to Rajasthan’s size.
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Antarctic winter sea ice loss hits 650,000 sq km—twice Rajasthan’s size
confidence 95%A record 650,000 square kilometers of winter sea ice has vanished from Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea, an area twice the size of Rajasthan. Temperatures near the west coast remain 20°C above average, preventing ice formation despite peak winter conditions. Scientists warn this loss may worsen climate feedback loops and harm marine life. Satellite data confirms the absence of ice, with no signs of refreezing.
What's confirmed:
- A 650,000 square kilometer expanse of winter sea ice has failed to form in Antarctica, twice the size of Rajasthan.
- Temperatures near Antarctica’s west coast are 20°C above average, blocking ice formation during winter.
- Satellite observations show no ice cover in the Bellingshausen Sea, with no signs of refreezing despite winter conditions.
- Scientists warn the loss may accelerate climate feedback loops and threaten marine ecosystems.
Still unconfirmed:
- A ‘France-sized’ area of missing ice is alarming scientists and raising concerns, as cited in a single source.
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Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea lacks winter ice the size of France or Texas
confidence 96%A vast expanse of sea ice—comparable to France or Texas—has failed to form in Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea this winter. Temperatures near the west coast have soared 20°C above average, halting ice formation in a region where it should be expanding. Scientists warn this loss may accelerate climate feedback loops and threaten marine ecosystems. Satellite data confirms the absence of ice, with no signs of refreezing despite peak winter conditions.
What's confirmed:
- An area of sea ice the size of France or Texas has not formed in the Bellingshausen Sea off West Antarctica, where ice should be at its winter maximum.
- Temperatures in the region have peaked 20°C (36°F) above average, reaching 15.4°C (59.7°F) instead of the usual −24°C (−11.2°F).
- Satellite data shows no refreezing of the missing ice, with concentrations remaining abnormally low for mid-winter.
- The loss of ice may contribute to global sea level rise and intensify heatwaves over the Antarctic Peninsula.
- Experts describe the ice loss as ‘depressing’ and a sign of accelerating climate breakdown in Antarctica.
Still unconfirmed:
- The ice gap may be linked to instability in the Thwaites Glacier, though this connection requires further study.
- Penguin colonies and other marine life face heightened risks from the disrupted ice formation.