Vilfand reported a record low ice extent in the Arctic in January

In the Arctic in January, the minimum ice area was recorded due to high air temperature. This was reported on February 13 by Roman Vilfand, scientific head of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center.

"According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, a minimum of Arctic ice was observed in January, that is, the recorded ice area in the Arctic was the record minimum for January," he noted in a conversation with TASS.

According to Wilfand, the previous lowest figure was recorded in January 2018.

In addition, he added that a small ice area is also observed in Antarctica, there it is below average by 5%. As the forecaster specified, the record low values have been observed for two months in a row.

"The ice extent in 2024-2025 contrasts very strongly with that observed in 2021-2023. This, of course, indicates that the processes of global warming are going very fast," Wilfand summarized.

Earlier, on December 4, 2024, Chairman of the Marine Board of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev noted that the need to study permafrost in the Arctic and forecast its behavior in the conditions of global warming. According to him, this will help ensure the safety of the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

Before that, on November 2 last year, Russian scientists said that the area of ice covers around the world is gradually decreasing and, as a consequence, some ice islands may disappear. They noted that the melting of ice leads to higher water levels in the ocean, and desalinate it.

In October 2024, the Russian Geographical Society reported that as a result of global warming, the 53-hectare Mesyatseva Island disappeared from an archipelago in the Arctic. The disappearance of the ice formation, which had recently been a cape, was noticed by comparing old and new images of the Franz Josef Land archipelago taken by meteorological satellites.