Antartic Sea Ice Reaches New Maximun Extent

Two weeks after a new record was set in the Arctic Ocean for the least amount of sea ice coverage in the satellite record, the ice surrounding Antarctica reached its annual winter maximum—and set a record for a new high. Sea ice extended over 19.44 million square kilometers (7.51 million square miles) in 2012, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The previous record of 19.39 million kilometers (7.49 million square miles) was set in 2006. To see it in: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=79369 .

Foto y gráfica: NASA.