Rising temperatures, increasing precipitation, thawing permafrost and melting ice are pushing the Arctic outside its historical norms
An aerial view of icebergs and ice sheet in the Baffin Bay near Pituffik, Greenland on July 19, 2022 as captured on a NASA Gulfstream V plane while on an airborne mission to measure melting Arctic sea ice.The Arctic continued its relentless transformation in 2024, experiencing its wettest summer, its second warmest permafrost temperatures and its second hottest overall year on record.
The Arctic Report Card, issued annually since 2006, provides regular documentation of the Arctic’s evolution. The first installment warned of melting sea ice and thawing permafrost and pointed to “hot spots” across the region. It also raised concerns about the stability of the Greenland ice sheet, where exact melt rates at the time were still uncertain.
Not every year is a record-breaker. The past year saw sea ice hit its sixth lowest minimum extent. The summer was the second warmest on record behind 2023. Permafrost temperatures were also at their second warmest levels. That’s a good sign for the ice seals, said Lori Quakenbush, a scientist and marine mammal expert with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
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