Antarctica Sees Sudden 108 Billion Ton Rise in Glacier Ice Per Year

May 05, 2025 Komal Das

Climate change continues to affect the world, but in an unexpected twist, Antarctica has seen a rise in ice mass for the first time in decades

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A study led by Dr. Wang and Prof. Shen from Tongji University reveals that between 2021 and 2023, Antarctica’s ice sheet experienced a significant increase in mass

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Satellite data from the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions show the ice sheet gained around 108 gigatons of ice annually during this period

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Before 2021, Antarctica was losing ice at an accelerating rate — around 142 gigatons per year from 2011 to 2020

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The turnaround is attributed to unusually high snowfall, which led to a positive ice mass balance for the first time in decades

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However, this increase in ice is not observed in the Arctic, where sea ice has reached record low levels, with 2025 showing the lowest extent at 14.33 million square kilometers

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While Antarctica gains ice, the Arctic continues to experience extreme melting, showing the uneven impact of climate change across the poles

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The changing ice dynamics in both regions highlight the unpredictable and complex nature of climate change’s effects on our planet

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