Dwindling Antarctic sea ice driving storms, study warns

Dwindling Antarctic sea ice is driving more storms in the Southern Ocean, a new study has found, raising concerns about potential disruptions to global weather patterns.

- STUTI MISHRA

The study by researchers from the UK's National Oceanography Centre warns that the record loss of Antarctic sea ice in 2023 has led to a doubling of ocean heat loss to the atmosphere and a marked increase in storms across the Southern Ocean.

This intense heat exchange has added up to seven extra storm days a month in some areas, according to the study, published in the journal Nature yesterday. It has also altered the density of surface water, potentially disrupting deep ocean circulation, which plays a role in regulating temperatures and weather patterns.

“The massive increase in ocean heat loss to the atmosphere is increasing the density of water at the sea surface to values not previously seen in the newly ice-free regions,” Professor Simon Josey, lead study author and an expert on ocean-atmosphere interactions, said.

Antarctic sea ice acts as a “winter blanket” over the Southern Ocean, insulating it from the cold atmosphere and regulating heat exchange.