Arctic winter sea ice returns to significant decline, ending the temporary slowdown

New analysis shows that a "pause" in Arctic winter sea ice decline seen in the early 2020s has ended following record lows in 2025 and early 2026.

The study, led by the University of Southampton in collaboration with the National Oceanography Center (NOC), adds the most recent satellite observations to sea ice coverage trends during the winter growth and peak phases of the Arctic sea ice cycle. ...