Antarctic sea ice hit its 2026 maximum on 14 September, the third-lowest in the satellite record

Antarctic sea ice reached its annual maximum extent on 14 September 2026 — the third-lowest maximum in the satellite record, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

The Antarctic's ice year is shaped by basic geography. The Arctic is an ocean basin surrounded by land; the Antarctic is a large continent surrounded by an ocean. Because of that geometry, Antarctic sea ice has more room to expand during the southern winter than an ocean hemmed in by coastlines.