Annual cycle

Here you can view the annual sea-ice cover development since 1972 in both polar regions in an interactive graphic. You can select and compare individual years and select different reference periods for the long-term mean. By doing so, you can – depending on what information you’re looking for – create, download and (in compliance with our usage rights policy) use your own tailor-made set of graphics.

The annual development of the sea-ice extent is one of the most important parameters for describing the seasonal progression of sea-ice development. It is particularly relevant when combined and compared with long-term mean values, the development in past years, and/or past extrema.