Arctic winter sea ice has reached a near-record low peak for the second consecutive year, according to scientists at NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). On March 15, 2026, Arctic sea ice extent reached 5.52 million square miles (14.29 million square kilometers), nearly matching the 2025 peak of 5.53 million square miles (14.31 million square kilometers) — the lowest winter maximum recorded since satellite monitoring began in 1979.

The annual winter maximum marks the point at which Arctic sea ice stops expanding before it begins its spring melt. Researchers use satellite data to track these changes over time, providing a continuous record now spanning more than four decades.

The back-to-back record-tying figures represent a significant data point in long-term Arctic monitoring. Scientists track winter sea ice extent as a key indicator of climate change in the polar region, where warming is occurring at a faster rate than the global average — a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification.

This finding is based on satellite observation data analyzed by NASA and NSIDC researchers. The full analysis and additional context are available through NASA's Earth science reporting. Readers should note that the source article excerpt provided limited methodological detail beyond the satellite monitoring framework, and the complete study parameters, including any margin of error in the measurements, were not fully available in the provided excerpt.

Source: NASA, https://science.nasa.gov/earth/arctic-winter-sea-ice-2026/