Record low Antarctic sea ice cover in February 2022

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Turner, John, Holmes, Caroline, Caton Harrison, Thomas, Phillips, Tony, Jena, Babula, Reeves-Francois, Tylei, Fogt, Ryan, Thomas, Elizabeth R., Bajish, C.C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Geophysical Union 2022
• Subjects: Antarctic; Southern Ocean; Weddell Sea; Ross Sea; Amundsen Sea; Weddell; Antarc*; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/532694/; https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/532694/1/Geophysical%20Research%20Letters%20-%202022%20-%20Turner%20-%20Record%20Low%20Antarctic%20Sea%20Ice%20Cover%20in%20February%202022.pdf; https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2022GL098904

On 25 February 2022 Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) dropped to a satellite-era record low level of 1.92 × 106 km2, 0.92 × 106 km2 below the long-term mean. The area of sea ice was also at a record low level of 1.24 × 106 km2. Although no individual sector was at a record low, at the minimum there were negative sea ice anomalies in all sectors of the Southern Ocean, with the largest in the Ross (contributing 46%) and Weddell Seas (26%). The Amundsen Sea Low had a record low depth in October/November 2021, with a series of very deep depressions giving strong offshore winds. These accelerated ice loss during the melt season, creating a 1.00 × 106 km2 coastal polynya in the Ross Sea. In the northern Weddell Sea, westerly winds of record strength led to ice export from the region.