The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published its annual report on the Arctic in recent days. However, the twentieth anniversary edition does not bring very positive information about the state of the climate in the northernmost part of the planet.
According to the report, temperatures in the Arctic between October 2024 and September 2025 were the highest since systematic records began in 1900. In addition, the last ten years rank among the ten warmest in the history of measurements in the Arctic. The rate of warming here is up to four times faster than the global average.
The temperature of the Arctic Ocean and the surrounding seas is also increasing significantly. For example, in August 2025, the average sea surface temperature in the Atlantic sector reached a deviation of up to an extreme +7 °C.
Missing sea ice
As a result, the Arctic is losing what is most characteristic of it – ice. The report points out that especially sea ice is decreasing very significantly. This year, it reached its historically smallest extent twice: at the beginning of spring and again at the end of the year, when its area is again record small.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing changes even in the middle of winter, when we expect the Arctic to be cold and have a lot of ice. The whole concept of winter is fundamentally changing in the Arctic,” Matthew Langdon Druckenmiller of the University of Colorado told The Guardian.
However, the loss of sea ice is far from being a regional problem. Its absence reveals vast expanses of dark ocean that absorb more sunlight than it reflects. This process further accelerates the rise in global temperatures.
Foto: National Snow and Ice Data Center
Sea ice extent has been record low since November.
Rain instead of snow
Precipitation between October 2024 and September 2025 also set a new record since records began in 1950. “This year was both the warmest and wettest on record. To see both of those things in one year is very unusual,” Druckenmiller added.
Despite higher precipitation totals, however, the extent of snow cover did not increase. On the contrary, it has fallen well below the long-term normal since the summer. At the beginning of December, the entire Northern Hemisphere had the smallest snow cover during the observation period, with the Arctic conditions playing a significant role.
The main reason is the change in the nature of precipitation. The Arctic is increasingly seeing rain instead of snow. This phenomenon also appears in winter, when rain in the Arctic used to be very rare.
Endangered Arctic
These changes have a significant impact on local ecosystems. Rain falling on snow can subsequently freeze and form an ice crust that prevents animals from accessing food. At the same time, slippery surfaces increase the risk for people moving in the countryside and on the roads.
According to Al Jazeera television, the presentation of the news itself was also exceptional this year. Although its findings are among the worst in history, NOAA officials appointed by the Trump administration did not mention the link to excessive fossil fuel production when they released it.
The Arctic is one of the most threatened regions of the world and is undergoing unprecedented changes. However, instead of protecting it, some actors seem to perceive the melting ice more as an opportunity for economic use of the territory, which can further damage local ecosystems. The whole world will feel the consequences of these changes.
