Global sea ice cover has plunged to its lowest level ever recorded, according to the EU’s climate change service Copernicus, as February 2025 marked the third-warmest February in recorded history. This alarming development continues a pattern of extreme climate events that have characterized the past two years.
Arctic sea ice reached its lowest monthly extent ever recorded in February, marking the third consecutive month of record lows compared to the same months in previous years. Antarctic sea ice wasn’t far behind, recording its fourth-lowest monthly total, with data suggesting it may have actually reached an all-time low later in the month, though final confirmation is still pending.
“February 2025 continues the streak of record or near-record temperatures observed throughout the last two years,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. “One of the consequences of a warmer world is melting sea ice, and the record or near-record low sea ice cover at both poles has pushed global sea ice cover to an all-time minimum.”
The global average air temperature in February was 1.59°C above pre-industrial levels, making it the 19th month out of the last 20 to exceed the critical 1.5°C threshold. The Northern Hemisphere’s winter season as a whole recorded its second-highest temperature ever, just 0.05°C cooler than the record set in 2024.
In Ireland, Met Éireann reported the 15th warmest winter since 1900, with a mild December and February but a cooler January due to Arctic air masses. The season brought significant weather events, including Storm Darragh in December, which produced the strongest winds of 2024, and January’s Storm Éowyn, which caused widespread disruption and power outages.
Ireland experienced varied rainfall patterns, with Roches Point in Cork recording its wettest winter since 1974 at 127% of its long-term average. Kerry saw the season’s wettest day with 37.4mm of rain on January 4. Shannon Airport in Clare enjoyed the highest amount of winter sunshine compared to its long-term average, while the number of dull days ranged from 35 at Valentia Observatory in Kerry to 46 at Johnstown Castle in Wexford.
According to The Irish Examiner, the continuing pattern of extreme temperatures and declining sea ice underscores the accelerating pace of climate change and its increasingly visible impacts on global weather systems.