# Polar sea ice — WATCH (stable)
id sea-ice · Climate · horizon chronic · checked 2026-11-01T11:52Z · at this level since 2026-10-31T11:26Z · stale after 2026-11-02T23:52Z
Assessed by an AI model (Anthropic Claude) against published rubrics; not a forecast or advice · CC BY 4.0 · https://canary.danleech.com/s/sea-ice

Value: Arctic -1.73, Antarctic -1.62M km²
Rated on: Either pole below −1.0 million km².

Both poles well below normal sea-ice extent, but not at record lows

Why it's at this level: On 31 Oct Arctic sea-ice extent was 7.84 million km², 1.73 million below the 1981–2010 average and the sixth-lowest for the date. Antarctic extent was 1.62 million below average, second-lowest for the date. Neither pole is at a record low.

What this means for you: Low sea ice amplifies warming and can disturb weather patterns, including European winters.

Why it matters: Sea ice reflects sunlight and regulates ocean circulation; record lows accelerate warming.
What moves it: Air and ocean temperatures, winds, season.

Rubric — Alert: Either pole at a record low for the calendar date. | Watch: Either pole below −1.0 million km². | Normal: Arctic and Antarctic extent anomalies both above −1.0 million km² vs 1981–2010.

Sources:
- NSIDC — Sea Ice Index (v4) (2026-10-30) https://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/sea-ice-tools/