1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,003
On February 20th, 2024, Antarctic sea ice officially
reached its minimum extent for the year. 

2
00:00:06,706 --> 00:00:09,709
This cycle of growth and melting occurs every year,
with the ice reaching its smallest size
during the southern hemisphere's summer.

3
00:00:16,216 --> 00:00:19,219
This year's melt season concluded with
a sea ice area of 768,000 square miles (1.99 million square kilometers) compared to the average minimum
observed during the satellite era (1981-2010). 

4
00:00:24,824 --> 00:00:27,827
That is slightly larger than the state of Texas.

5
00:00:34,167 --> 00:00:37,170
According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center,
this marks the second-lowest sea ice extent recorded by
satellites, reflecting a trend of declining coverage over time.

6
00:00:43,476 --> 00:00:46,413
The extent of sea ice is critical for polar ecosystems 

7
00:00:50,083 --> 00:00:53,086
and has far-reaching implications for
Earth's climate and weather patterns.