WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new federal assessment released this week concludes that the Arctic experienced its warmest year on record, continuing a trend in which the region is warming at roughly twice the global average. The findings come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest Arctic Report Card, which tracks long-term environmental changes across the region.
According to the report, average surface air temperatures from October 2024 through September 2025 were the highest observed since recordkeeping began around 1900. Researchers note that the past decade now represents the warmest 10-year period ever recorded in the Arctic, reinforcing concerns about accelerating climate feedback loops.
The report details sharp declines in June snow cover, which has fallen to about half of its 1960s extent. Scientists warn that earlier and faster snowmelt reduces the Arctic’s ability to reflect solar radiation, allowing more heat to be absorbed by land and ocean surfaces. This process intensifies warming, disrupts river flows, and raises wildfire risks.
Warming ocean waters, driven partly by Atlantic and Pacific currents carrying heat northward, are also contributing to reduced sea ice. The report links these changes to ecosystem stress, including shifts in food availability for wildlife and increased risks of harmful algal blooms that can affect coastal communities reliant on subsistence fishing.
Researchers also highlighted growing collaboration with Indigenous communities, including Alaska-based monitoring networks that combine local observations with scientific data to track environmental changes in real time.
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