Sea ice surrounding Antarctica has stopped growing for the season and reached its annual maximum extent for 2026, NASA's Earth Observatory reports. The peak came at the end of the southern hemisphere winter, when the ice cover usually reaches its largest size before it starts to retreat in spring.
This year's maximum ranks as the third-lowest in the satellite record, which goes back to the late 1970s. That places 2026 alongside the run of unusually small Antarctic ice seasons of recent years, which broke with the slight growth trend seen in earlier decades.
Scientists use satellites to monitor the extent of polar sea ice because it shapes how much sunlight the ocean reflects, as well as ocean circulation and the habitats of polar wildlife. These orbital measurements give researchers a continuous view of a remote region that would be very hard to survey from the ground.
