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.

One of the ocean currents in the Arctic Ocean is at risk of disappearing this century because of climate change, according to a new joint study from the University of Gothenburg and the German Alfred Wegener Institute.

Sea ice plays many important roles for the global climate: Its white surface can reflect energy back into space, helping the planet cool. It also acts like a blanket for the ocean, insulating it and preventing ocean heat from reaching the atmosphere. Less sea ice means more heat goes in Earth’s systems, warming the atmosphere and the oceans.