Arctic & Antarctic – The Watchers

Antarctica sees ice gain after two decades of decline

Harsh Vardhan — Wed, 07 May 2025 15:14:00 +0000

Antarctica has shown a rare shift in behavior, gaining ice mass between 2021 and 2023 after years of steady decline. Using satellite gravimetry, researchers tracked this anomaly and linked it to unusual precipitation rather than long-term change. The findings offer insight into the continent’s sensitivity but little certainty about what comes next.

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The impact of atmospheric rivers on Antarctic ice sheet

Rishav Kothari — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 06:16:06 +0000

A recent study analyzing data from 1980 to 2020 found that atmospheric rivers (ARs), though infrequent, have accounted for up to 70% of extreme snowfall events in East Antarctica since the 1980s, significantly impacting the continent’s ice sheet mass balance.

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Six new species discovered beneath Antarctic seafloor after iceberg A-84 break-off

Rishav Kothari — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 11:47:24 +0000

An international team exploring the seafloor after iceberg A-84 broke off the George VI Ice Shelf in January 2025 discovered a previously unseen ecosystem, raising questions about how life adapts to some of the harshest environments on the planet. Since the area became accessible, at least six new species have been identified in the region.

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World’s largest iceberg A23a runs aground near South Georgia

Rishika Yadav — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 09:35:24 +0000

The world’s largest iceberg, A23a, ran aground near the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia on March 1, 2025. The iceberg remains stationary approximately 90 km (56 miles) from land, raising concerns about its potential impact on marine ecosystems and navigation.

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A23a, the world’s largest iceberg, on collision course with South Georgia

Rishika Yadav — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 16:34:30 +0000

The world's largest iceberg, A23a, is steadily approaching South Georgia, a British overseas territory. The iceberg is currently about 280 km (173 miles) from the island and could make contact within 2 to 4 weeks.

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Multiyear ice obstructing the Northwest Passage, causing significant reduction in navigability

Rishav Kothari — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 20:20:42 +0000

A recent study showed a significant decline in the navigability of the Northwest Passage, Arctic Archipelago due to obstructions caused by multilayer ice in the region.

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Record “heatwave” in Antarctica as temperatures surge 30 °C (54 °F) above normal

Rishav Kothari — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 20:29:54 +0000

Surface temperatures in parts of Antarctica have surged nearly 30 °C (54 °F) above normal recently, causing what scientists call an Antarctic "heatwave." This temperature anomaly is described as "a near-record (or record) event for the region" by Edward Blanchard, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington.

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Historic NWS thunderstorm warnings issued as rare storms move over Arctic Alaska

Rishav Kothari — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 04:28:34 +0000

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Fairbanks issued multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings on June 27, 2024, as severe thunderstorms began to stretch over Northern Alaska and the Arctic Circle. These storms generated winds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph) and quarter-sized hail.

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Decades-long growing rift in Brunt Ice Shelf finally breaks, creating new iceberg, Antarctica

Teo Blašković — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 02:20:25 +0000

On January 22, 2023, a massive rift on the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica finally gave way, resulting in the formation of a new iceberg measuring 1 550 km2 (~600 mi2). The U.S. National Ice Center has named it Iceberg A-81. The rift, spanning most of the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica, appeared ready to spawn an iceberg in 2019, posing an uncertain future for scientific infrastructure and a human presence on the shelf that was first established in 1955 by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).

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Arctic sea ice extent above levels not seen since 2013

Teo Blašković — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:14:03 +0000

Arctic's seasonal sea ice loss began more slowly in May 2022 than in the recent years as air temperatures were closer to the 1981 to 2010 average. The month ended with the highest sea ice extent since 2013 - the 14th lowest in the satellite record.

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