# Arctic sea ice reaches its 2026 minimum, tied for 10th-lowest

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Topic: Science · Status: published · Version: 1
Published: 2026-10-07T04:47:03.045Z · Updated: 2026-10-07T04:47:03.045Z
Record: https://davids.news/s/arctic-sea-ice-reaches-its-2026-minimum-tied-for-10th-lowest-788c5e3b

NASA says the ice covered an estimated 4.6 million square kilometers on Sept. 12, matching three other years in the satellite record.

- NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center estimate the Sept. 12 extent at 4.6 million square kilometers \(1.78 million square miles\).
- The 2026 minimum ties 2008, 2010 and 2025 for the 10th-lowest in the satellite record, according to NASA.

Why it matters: NASA says satellite observations since late 1978 show an overall decline in Arctic sea ice extent.

## Original sources

- [NASA](<https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/arctic-sea-ice-shrinks-to-its-2026-minimum>) — primary announcement
  Source: NASA 2026 · Original report: 2026-10-07T04:00:00.000Z

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