Winter 2023 Antarctic Sea Ice (IMAGE) University of Washington Caption The maximum Antarctic sea ice extent in 2023, shown here, was the lowest on record. The yellow line shows the average winter maximum of satellite observations from 1981 to 2010. New research shows that wind patterns can explain the record low in 2023 and near-record low in 2024, and that they enable accurate forecasts of sea ice extent six to nine months in advance. Credit NOAA Usage Restrictions No restrictions. License Public Domain Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.