The meltdown extends beyond the Arctic. Antarctica recently flirted with a record low in its own annual sea ice minimum – this while the Arctic hits an unprecedented winter low. As a result, Meier notes that global sea ice coverage in February dropped to a record minimum, signifying a broader, planet-wide shift.

The Arctic reaches its maximum sea ice in March each year and then starts a six-month melt season. The National Snow and Ice Data Center said the peak measurement taken Saturday was 5.53 million square miles (14.33 million square kilometers) — about 30,000 square miles (80,000 square kilometers) smaller than the lowest previous peak in 2017.

Just 5.53 million square miles of ice had formed as of March 22, the smallest maximum extent since satellite recordkeeping began in the 1970s.