Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems
Published on: June 30, 2020
Record-low 2025 and 2026 ice extents restore Arctic winter sea-ice decline
Duo Chan1, Alessandro Silvano1, Simon A Josey2
1Physical Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Recent analyses have suggested that the decadal rate of Arctic winter sea-ice extent decline weakened in the early 2020s, with 20-y trends becoming statistically insignificant. Here we show from more up-to-date observations that the exceptionally low 2025 and 2026 ice extent winters reversed this picture, with sea-ice extent during the growth and peak phases returning to record lows and 20-y decline trends becoming significant again. Further analysis of CMIP6 model analogues shows that the observed 2025 decline was unusual but physically plausible under comparable Arctic warming, and is more consistent with ongoing winter sea ice reduction than with a return to values seen in the early 2020s.
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation
Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation
The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the vapor pressure of a solution is lowered due to the presence of nonvolatile solutes, it stands to reason that the solution’s boiling point will subsequently be increased. Vapor pressure increases with temperature, and so a solution will require a higher temperature than will pure solvent to achieve any given vapor pressure, including one...
Conservation of Declining Populations
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Frost Action on Concrete
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...

