Zack Labe
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Zack Labe
@zacklabe.com
42K followers 1K following 4K posts
Climate Scientist at @climatecentral.org | PhD | Passionate about improving science communication through data-driven stories | Harrisburg, PA | https://zacklabe.com/

Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are only my own.
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zacklabe.com
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) averaged about 427 ppm in December 2025

10 years ago December averaged about 402 ppm

Data available at gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/
Red line graph time series of monthly carbon dioxide abundance from January 1959 through December 2025. There is a seasonal cycle and long-term increasing trend. Current levels of CO2 are at 427 ppm. This is the Keeling Curve graph. A line for CO2 10 years ago is also annotated.
January 11, 2026 at 8:57 PM
zacklabe.com
#Arctic sea ice concentration trends in January are only confined to the outer edges of the Arctic Ocean, such as the Barents-Kara Seas, Greenland Sea, Baffin Bay, and Sea of Okhotsk.

Sea ice concentration = fraction of ice-cover. For more info: doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Polar stereographic map showing Arctic sea ice concentration trends for Januarys from 1979 to 2024. The outer marginal seas are seeing declining trends, while the central Arctic remains ice covered.
January 11, 2026 at 6:48 PM
zacklabe.com
A summary overview showing the standardized anomalies of annual #Arctic sea ice extent by region - now updated through 2025

[Data via @nsidc.bsky.social; Graphic available at zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i.... Bright blue = max year, bright red = min year, vertical lines = 2007/2012/2016/2020/2025]
Graphic showing 10 bar graphs of regional standardized anomalies of annual mean Arctic sea ice extent for different marginal seas. There is a long-term decreasing trend in all regions from 1979 to 2025.
January 11, 2026 at 2:01 PM
zacklabe.com
While most of the #Arctic Ocean is predominately ice covered in January, the edges reveal warming at the ocean surface. Warming trends are particularly large in the North Atlantic and Davis Strait/Labrador Sea. 🌊

Data from OISSTv2.1. For more info: arctic.noaa.gov/report-card/...
Polar stereographic map showing sea surface temperature (SST) trends for Januarys from 1979 to 2024. There are no trends over most of the Arctic Ocean due to ice cover. But there is warming in the North Atlantic and little-to-no trend in SSTs for the North Pacific.
January 10, 2026 at 10:08 PM
zacklabe.com
Yep, recent weather has been generally cloudy and cool during summers in the last decade, which has limited melt. Though aside from August and September, most other months have set new sea-ice extent records recently
Graphic showing Arctic sea ice extent records by month.
January 10, 2026 at 10:01 PM
zacklabe.com
2025 was the hottest year on record for ocean heat content. Unfortunately, we now say this every year. 🥹

"In addition to setting a new record in 2025, the global
ocean continues to show sustained and intensified warming."

+ #OpenAccess Study: doi.org/10.1007/s003...
+ Data: www.ocean.iap.ac.cn
Bar graph showing global ocean heat content change in the upper 2000 m from the late 1950s through 2025. There is a long-term warming in the time series, which is using IAP/CAS data.
January 10, 2026 at 4:32 PM
zacklabe.com
Most of the #Arctic is experiencing warming temperatures over the last four decades in January. This is largest in the Barents Sea region and corresponds to losses of sea ice cover (turbulent heat fluxes).

Data from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social ERA5 reanalysis. More info: doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Polar stereographic map of 2-m air temperature trends for Januarys from 1979 to 2024. Most areas are warming and the largest trends are in the eastern Arctic.
January 10, 2026 at 2:39 PM
zacklabe.com
Last year was obviously the warmest on record for the North Pacific Ocean...

This graph shows the average for a band across the midlatitudes for every year from 1854-2025 using @noaa.gov ERSSTv5 data.
Green line graph time series of average sea surface temperature anomalies for each year from 1854 through 2025 for only the midlatitude region of the North Pacific Ocean. There is large interannual variability, but an overall long-term increasing trend. Anomalies are computed relative to a 1981-2010 baseline. 2025 is a record high.
January 10, 2026 at 2:14 AM
zacklabe.com
🚨 2025 observed the lowest #Arctic sea-ice extent AND the lowest sea-ice volume for their yearly average values. This comes as no surprise to me as the polar environment continues to change. The consequences are far-reaching.

More graphics & stats already on my website: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
January 9, 2026 at 11:36 PM
zacklabe.com
Friday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 4th lowest on record (JAXA data)...

• about 190,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 780,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,340,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,780,000 km² below the 1980s mean

More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
Line graph time series of 2026's daily Arctic sea ice extent compared to decadal averages from the 1980s to the 2010s. The decadal averages are shown with different colored lines with purple for the 1980s, blue for the 1990s, green for the 2000s, and white for the 2010s. Thin white lines are also shown for each year from 2000 to 2025. 2026 is shown with a thick gold line. There is a long-term decreasing trend in ice extent for every day of the year shown on this graph between January and March by looking at the decadal average line positions.
January 9, 2026 at 2:02 PM
zacklabe.com
Modeled reconstruction of December #Arctic sea ice volume since the year 1901 - comparison between PIOMAS-20C and PIOMAS data sets now updated through 2025 (new record low)...

Data information available at doi.org/10.1175/JCLI...
Line graph time series for Arctic sea ice volume in every December from 1901 through 2025. Two datasets are compared between PIOMAS-20C (a blue line) and PIOMAS v2.1 (a dashed red line). There is large interannual variability, but a long-term decreasing trend since 1990.
January 9, 2026 at 1:04 PM
zacklabe.com
Just in - "According to @climatecentral.org, 2025 ranks as the third-highest year (after 2023 and 2024) for billion-dollar weather and climate disasters..."

+ Interactive graphics/data: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
+ Climate Matters article: www.climatecentral.org/climate-matt...
Map showing the U.S. 2025 Billion-Dollar Weather & Climate Disasters and highlights wildfires and severe weather through December 2025. Graphic is produced by Climate Central.
January 8, 2026 at 1:59 PM
zacklabe.com
Last month's total #Arctic sea ice volume averaged the *lowest* on record for the month of December...

More at zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
January 8, 2026 at 1:37 PM
zacklabe.com
A comparison between recent satellite-derived sea ice observations and a reconstruction of ice extent since 1850 for the month of December. 2025 was a record low.

Data from @nsidc.bsky.social at doi.org/10.7265/jj4s...
Line graph time series of December Arctic sea ice extent for every year from 1850 through 2025. Two datasets are compared in this time series. The Walsh et al. 2019 reconstruction is shown with a solid blue line. The NSIDC Sea Ice Index v3 is shown with a dashed red line only for the satellite era. There is large interannual variability and a long-term decreasing trend over the last few decades.
January 7, 2026 at 11:41 AM
zacklabe.com
The first week of the new year is already flying by. Here's a look at how temperatures have changed around our planet over the last four decades in January...

Data from doi.org/10.24381/cds...
Four global maps showing near-surface air temperature anomalies for the month of January in 1985-1994, 1995-2004, 2005-2014, and 2015-2024. Most all areas are observing long-term warming, which is largest over the Arctic region. Anomalies are calculated relative to 1951-1980 from ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis.
January 6, 2026 at 11:13 PM
zacklabe.com
Watch 100 years of December sea surface temperature anomalies updated through 2025. There's a lot of year-to-year variability, but a clear long-term warm signal is evident over time due to human-caused climate change. 🌊

Data from psl.noaa.gov/data/gridded...
January 6, 2026 at 12:52 PM
zacklabe.com
Changes in January temperatures in the #Arctic over the last four decades...

[Data from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social ERA5 reanalysis]
Four polar stereographic maps showing Arctic near-surface air temperature anomalies for the month of January in 1985-1994, 1995-2004, 2005-2014, and 2015-2024. Most all areas are observing long-term warming, which is largest over ocean areas.
January 6, 2026 at 12:45 AM
zacklabe.com
Looks like this data was quietly updated in the fall for the latest numbers through 2024 - Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) produced by NOAA...

It is now up to a 54% increase in the influence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere since 1990 (AGGI = 1.54; heat trapping)
Line graph time series of CO2 equivalent mixing ratio (in ppm) from 1700 through 2024 for AGGI, CO2 alone, and CO2 plus non-CO2 GHGs. There is a long-term increasing trend in recent years only.
January 5, 2026 at 8:53 PM
zacklabe.com
Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 2nd lowest on record (JAXA data)

• about 450,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,000,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,570,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,000,000 km² below the 1980s mean

More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
Line graph time series of 2026's daily Arctic sea ice extent compared to decadal averages from the 1980s to the 2010s. The decadal averages are shown with different colored lines with purple for the 1980s, blue for the 1990s, green for the 2000s, and white for the 2010s. Thin white lines are also shown for each year from 2000 to 2025. 2026 is shown with a thick gold line. There is a long-term decreasing trend in ice extent for every day of the year shown on this graph between January and March by looking at the decadal average line positions.
January 5, 2026 at 1:03 PM
zacklabe.com
Check out the changes in January #Arctic sea ice thickness by decade...

Data information: climatedataguide.ucar.edu/climate-data...
Four polar stereographic maps showing Arctic sea ice thickness for the month of January in 1985-1994, 1995-2004, 2005-2014, and 2015-2024. Thickness is shown with colors from black at 0 meters to purple at 2.5 meters to white at 5.0 meters. Sea ice in thinning in all regions over time.
January 4, 2026 at 7:09 PM
zacklabe.com
Last month was statistically tied for the 5th lowest #Antarctic sea ice extent on record for the month of December.

This was 1,190,000 km² below the 1981-2010 December average. Data from the @nsidc.bsky.social at nsidc.org/data/seaice_...
January 4, 2026 at 2:24 PM
zacklabe.com
I’ll be working this weekend to update my daily near-real time website visualizations for the switch from 2025 to 2026. Unfortunately, this means manually updating the style for each one. Thanks for your patience... More soon!

Temperatures graphics ready to go though: zacklabe.com/climate-chan...
Graph showing daily global mean near-surface air temperatures for 2026. This is also compared to the daily data from the 1971-2000 average, 1981-2010 average, and 1991-2020 average. Annotations are also shown to the current year with the other years from 1940 to 2025 and a threshold of 2°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial level. There is a strong seasonal cycle, with a peak during the boreal summer season. There is a long-term warming trend. 2024 is also indicated, which was the warmest year on record. Data is from ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis and updated through 1 January 2026.
January 3, 2026 at 10:03 PM
zacklabe.com
#Arctic air temperature rank by month over the satellite era - now updated through all of 2025 🔥

+ Ranks: 1=warmest (red), 47=coldest (blue)
+ Download higher resolution: zacklabe.com/arctic-tempe...
Heat map-style graphic showing monthly air temperature rankings in the Arctic at the 925 hPa level for each month from January 1979 to December 2025. There is a long-term warming trend evident in each month. Blue shading is shown for colder months, and red shading is shown for warmer months. A yellow number is shown for each grid box to display the actual temperature ranking. December 2025 was the 11th warmest December on record.
January 3, 2026 at 3:20 PM
zacklabe.com
🚨 December 2025 #Arctic sea ice extent was the *lowest* on record for the month...

This was 1,620,000 km² below the 1981-2010 average. December ice extent is decreasing at about 3.5% per decade. Data: @nsidc.bsky.social at nsidc.org/data/seaice_...
January 2, 2026 at 7:58 PM
zacklabe.com
🚨 The first preliminary analysis from the Japan Meteorological Agency highlights 2025 as the third warmest year on record globally (since at least 1891 in this data).

Additional climate rankings will be released later for other datasets.

Graph and methods by ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/prod...
Global mean surface temperature anomalies for each year from 1891 to 2025. There is interannual variability and a long-term warming trend. 5-year running means and a long-term linear trend line are also shown (0.79°C per century).
January 2, 2026 at 1:50 PM