Arctic sea ice record low maximum strikes again

Arctic sea ice has likely reached its maximum extent for the year, at 14.29 million square kilometers (5.52 million square miles) on March 15, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. The 2026 winter sea ice extent edged just below last year’s record of 14.31 million square kilometers (5.53 million square miles), statistically tying for the lowest maximum in the 48-year satellite record.