The maximum Arctic sea ice extent for March 2023

#Seas & Oceans, #Snow & Ice, #Arctic, #Copernicus, #Image in the news

Published on 13 April 2023

Each year, Arctic sea ice reaches its maximum extent during the month of March.

According to Copernicus Climate Change Service data, the 2023 maximum was reached in early March, with a total extent of 14.5 million km². This is 4% below the 1991-2020 average for the month and the fourth lowest in the satellite era. The Labrador Sea in Canada, visible in this Sentinel-3 image captured on 11 April, recorded one of the lowest concentrations of sea ice. While the Barents Sea and the Svalbard region had below-average sea ice concentrations, the Greenland Sea saw much above-average concentrations due to the atmospheric circulation patterns observed in March.

More details are available on the website of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). 

Source:

The maximum Arctic sea ice extent for March 2023. (2023, April 12). Copernicus Image of the Day.