The extent of sea ice on Earth over the past month was the lowest in January since historical satellite records began in 1979, averaging 16.58 million square kilometers.
This is stated by the US agency NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in its latest monthly climatological summary of ice and snow on Earth, based on data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (Nsidc). .
The report, collected by Servimedia, indicates that the planet’s sea ice coverage had an average of 16.58 million square kilometers last month, which represents 2.44 million square kilometers less or a decrease of 12.8 % compared to the average between 1991 and 2020.
This is the lowest figure in the last 45 years and is followed by January 2017 (16.97 million square kilometers) and 2018 (17.29 million). On the contrary, the historical maximum is maintained by January 1979 (20.81 million), ahead of 1982 (20.44 million) and 1986 (20.31).
On the other hand, the extent of sea ice in Antarctica covered an average of 3.23 million square kilometers in January this year, which represents 1.81 million less or a decrease of 35.9% compared to the average. between 1991 and 2020.
And that of the Arctic averaged 13.35 million square kilometers, that is, 0.63 million less or a decrease of 4.5%; It was the third with the least Arctic ice, behind those of 2018 (13.08 million) and 2018 (13.19 million).
