September Arctic sea ice extent, 1979 to 2026

September Arctic sea ice averaged 4.81 million km² in 2026, down from 7.05 million in 1979 and above the 2012 record low of 3.57.

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What the data shows

September Arctic sea ice extent: 7.05 M km² in 1979, 4.81 M km² in 2026. It peaked at 7.67 M km² in 1980.

About this chart

Arctic sea ice has shrunk sharply since satellite records began in 1979, when the September average extent was 7.05 million square kilometers. The record low came in 2012 at 3.57 million. Since then no September has come close to the levels of the 1980s. The 2026 average was 4.81 million km², just above 2025 at 4.75 million and higher than 2024 (4.35) and 2023 (4.38).

These figures are September monthly averages, the month when Arctic ice is usually at its yearly low. They are not the same as the single lowest day of the year, which falls in mid-September and is lower than the monthly average. The four lowest Septembers on record are 2012 (3.57), 2020 (4.0), 2007 (4.27) and 2024 (4.35). The 2025 and 2026 values come from a newer NSIDC source dataset within the same file.

The data

Source: NSIDC/NOAA Sea Ice Index v4, Monthly Arctic sea ice extent, September (file N_09_extent_v4.0.csv). Retrieved November 4, 2026. This is the September monthly average extent, which is not the same as the annual daily minimum (the lowest single-day extent, usually in mid-September, which is lower than the September average). 2025 and 2026 values come from the newer NSIDC-0803 source dataset in the same file; earlier years use NSIDC-0051.

September Arctic sea ice extent, Monthly average extent, million km2, 1979-2026, 1979–2026
Date	September Arctic sea ice extent
1979	7.05 M km²
1980	7.67 M km²
1981	7.14 M km²
1982	7.30 M km²
1983	7.39 M km²
1984	6.81 M km²
1985	6.70 M km²
1986	7.41 M km²
1987	7.28 M km²
1988	7.37 M km²
1989	7.01 M km²
1990	6.14 M km²
1991	6.47 M km²
1992	7.47 M km²
1993	6.40 M km²
1994	7.14 M km²
1995	6.08 M km²
1996	7.58 M km²
1997	6.69 M km²
1998	6.54 M km²
1999	6.12 M km²
2000	6.25 M km²
2001	6.73 M km²
2002	5.83 M km²
2003	6.12 M km²
2004	5.98 M km²
2005	5.50 M km²
2006	5.86 M km²
2007	4.27 M km²
2008	4.69 M km²
2009	5.26 M km²
2010	4.87 M km²
2011	4.56 M km²
2012	3.57 M km²
2013	5.21 M km²
2014	5.22 M km²
2015	4.62 M km²
2016	4.53 M km²
2017	4.82 M km²
2018	4.79 M km²
2019	4.36 M km²
2020	4.00 M km²
2021	4.95 M km²
2022	4.90 M km²
2023	4.38 M km²
2024	4.35 M km²
2025	4.75 M km²
2026	4.81 M km²

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Frequently asked questions

How much sea ice is in the Arctic?

The September 2026 average Arctic sea ice extent was 4.81 million square kilometers, according to the NSIDC/NOAA Sea Ice Index. That is slightly above 2025 (4.75 million) but well below the 7.05 million recorded in September 1979.

When was Arctic sea ice at its lowest?

The lowest September average on record is 3.57 million square kilometers, set in 2012. The next lowest are 2020 (4.0), 2007 (4.27) and 2024 (4.35).

What does sea ice extent measure?

Extent measures the area of ocean covered by ice as seen by satellites, not the ice's thickness or volume. This chart uses the September monthly average, which differs from the lowest single-day extent of the year.

Where does this data come from?

NSIDC/NOAA Sea Ice Index v4, Monthly Arctic sea ice extent, September (file N_09_extent_v4.0.csv). Retrieved November 4, 2026. This is the September monthly average extent, which is not the same as the annual daily minimum (the lowest single-day extent, usually in mid-September, which is lower than the September average). 2025 and 2026 values come from the newer NSIDC-0803 source dataset in the same file; earlier years use NSIDC-0051. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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