![The map above shows the ice extent on March 14, the day of the annual maximum. To determine extent, scientists project satellite observations of sea ice onto a grid and then add up the total area of each cell that is at least 15 percent ice-covered. The yellow outline shows the median sea ice extent for February from 1981 to 2010. A median is the middle value; that is, half of the extents were larger than the yellow line and half were smaller.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/arctic-nsidc-202474-lrg.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Arctic Sea Ice Continues to Decline
Sea ice at the top of the planet continued to shrink and thin in 2024, consistent with an ongoing 46-year downward trend. View the full story
Credits: NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin
TakenMarch 14, 2024
Image CreditNASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin
Size640x427px