The Chilling Truth: Antarctica Just Lost an Ice Mass the Size of My Country

Antarctica’s sea ice is not just a local phenomenon — it plays a significant role in regulating the Earth’s temperature.

Some time ago, a friend asked me if I believed in infinity. It was an easy answer: infinity is walking through Antarctic glaciers, the repetitive and overwhelming whiteness of the landscapes, and the feeling of walking in circles.

Being born and raised in Patagonia, I’ve always felt attracted to Antarctica. Shackleton became one of my heroes, and the fantasy of visiting and exploring infinity in the iced continent has always been on the radar.

But my chances might be melting away. Because beneath its serene façade lies an alarming tale that threatens not just the continent’s frozen landscape but also the delicate balance of life on Earth.

Recent reports from July 30th, 2023, reveal that Antarctica has lost a mass of ice the size of my country, Argentina, the 8th largest country in the world. And this profound loss is sending shockwaves through the global community.

The Unprecedented Melting

As the heatwave tightens its grip on the northern hemisphere, Antarctica broke a different kind of climate record.

Antarctic sea ice has shown variability for decades, fluctuating between historical highs and lows.

In a normal situation, the ice reaches its lowest point in late February and then recovers during the winter. Since 2016, scientists have witnessed a drastic downward trend that defies all expectations.

But this year, it is at its lowest level since records began 45 years ago. A disturbing sign that something has changed on our planet.

The National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that sea ice in Antarctica is currently around 1.6 million square kilometers below the previous low winter record set in 2022.

As I said before, that’s the equivalent size of Argentina. Or the combined areas of Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.

For further perspective, taking a reference average ice shelf thickness of 400 meters, Antarctica just lost 640 billion cubic meters of ice.

Or 640 trillion (!) liters of drinking water.

Even more:

• A person uses 145 liters per day.

We just lost water for the daily consumption of the Earth’s total population for 550 days.

This is no joke.

Antarctica’s contribution to global sea-level rise has tripled in the past decade, posing a severe threat to coastal communities and low-lying islands. Antarctica’s ice loss contributes to approximately 0.6 millimeters of global sea-level rise annually. But to put into perspective just how much ice is there: if all of Antarctica’s ice were to melt, it would lead to a staggering 57 meters (187 feet) of sea-level rise, submerging coastal cities worldwide.

An Uncertain Global Impact: The Polar Affection

Antarctica is warming faster than many other regions, a phenomenon known as “Polar Amplification.”

The temperature increase at high latitudes outpaces the global average, setting off a cascade of consequences.

One critical factor contributing is the ice-albedo feedback. The increase in temperature near the surface contributes to ice melting, which contributes to a rise in temperature. Why? Because the albedo — that is, the fraction of solar energy reflected by a surface — of the ocean and the underlying ground is lower than that of ice.

And as you may imagine, Antarctica’s sea ice is not just a local phenomenon — it plays a significant role in regulating the Earth’s temperature.

The reflective properties of sea ice bounce solar energy back into space, helping to cool the planet. As sea ice disappears, darker ocean waters take its place, absorbing more heat and further accelerating global warming. This feedback loop could have far-reaching consequences that extend well beyond Antarctica’s borders.

This vicious cycle accelerates the pace of global warming.

And several other factors contribute to the loss of sea ice, including the strength of the westerly winds around Antarctica, linked to the increase in planet-warming pollution.

Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, emphasizes that we are witnessing a significant transformation in Antarctica’s ice dynamics.

“Warmer ocean temperatures north of the Antarctic ocean boundary mixing in with water that is normally somewhat isolated from the rest of the world’s oceans are also part of this idea of explaining this.

We are less likely to see the Antarctic system recover as it did, say, 15 years ago, over a very long period in the future, and possibly ‘never,” Scambos said.

The South Pole warmed ‘three times faster’ than the global average over the past 30 years, making it one of the fastest-warming regions on the planet.

The Impact on Wildlife and the Environment

The vanishing sea ice has a ripple effect on its wildlife and environment.

Although sea ice doesn’t directly contribute to rising sea levels as it floats on the ocean, its absence leaves coastal ice layers and glaciers vulnerable to melting and calving.

Additionally, the loss of sea ice poses a significant threat to wildlife in the region, including krill — the primary food source for many of Antarctica’s iconic inhabitants, such as whales, penguins, and seals.

Their feeding and resting grounds are jeopardized without sea ice, impacting the entire ecosystem. The Adélie penguin population in Antarctica has declined by 70% in the past 40 years due to changes in sea ice patterns and food availability.

The Race Against Time: A Call to Collective Action

It’s mid-winter here in Patagonia.

I would usually start my day with an early-morning uphill climb on my backcountry skis and then head to the office.

But the mountains and even the ski resort with its snow-making machines are lacking snow in the lower half. There have been unprecedented rains, top to bottom. By this time of the season, we’ve already had more precipitation than the record season, and we are still 45 days away from the end day of winter.

Powder days? Well, we had a couple of memorable ones last year.

Not this one. Hopefully yet.

Rain at this time of year means no cold weather.

And as I write these words, I’m sitting at the office, wearing nothing but a shirt and shorts, and far from astonished by the fact that temperatures on August 1st went past 95 degrees (35 Celsius) at elevations of about 3,500 to 4,500 feet in the northern Andes foothills.

The forecast reads that temperatures will remain 18 to 36 degrees (10 to 20 Celsius) above average in the region.

In all, wintertime warmth is set to persist. Farewell to any fluffy powder dreams.

And this is not just my backyard or Antarctica by any means.

Buenos Aires set a record to start August: 86.2 degrees (30.1 Celsius), or what it is more than 9 degrees (5 Celsius) above the previous record.

Beyond our country’s borders: abnormal warm winter temperatures in Australia, Africa, and some island regions.

The rapid melting, or lack of formation of the Antarctic sea ice is another sobering reminder of the urgency with which we must address climate change.

The consequences of our actions, from burning fossil fuels and deforestation to leaving the tap running while washing out teeth, destabilize our planet’s delicate climate balance.

If we fail to act, we risk tipping our world into an irreversible state of climate catastrophe.

Otherwise, we’ll have to catch up with Candid Thovex’s technique for skiing on gravel and grass.

Thank you for your thorough reading and support!

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