Arctic sea ice at minimum extent

Arctic sea ice extent likely reached its annual minimum extent on September 13, 2017. Credit: NSIDC. High-resolution image.

Arctic sea ice extent has likely reached its minimum extent for the year, at 4.64 million square kilometers (1.79 million square miles) on September 13, 2017, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The 2017 minimum is the eighth lowest in the 38-year satellite record. For more details and images, please see NSIDC’s Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis.