The arctic ice extents are now reported through mid-February 2026, showing rising refreezing rates bringing Arctic ice extents within 200k km2 of the 20-year average.  Remarkably, the last two days virtually matched the 2025 annual extent maximum of 14.48M km2 on day 80 of that year, compared to 14.44 on day 43 in 2026.

The chart below shows the 20-year averages for Arctic ice extents mid-Febrauary along with 2026 and 2025, as well as SII v.4.

As stated previously, likely due to a wavy polar vortex, MASIE 2026  refroze slowly in January reaching a deficit of 622k km2 on day 26.  Since then ice grew at a higher rate, ending this period 176k km2 below average, or 1% down. Note that compared to day 44 last year, 2026 ice is more than half a Wadham greater, 656k km2.  And as mentioned above, 2025 will not match yesterday until day 80. Note SII v.4 tracks lower than MASIE throughout, on average in deficit by 242K km2.

Region	2026044	Average day 44	2026-Ave.	2025044	2026-2025
(0) Northern_Hemisphere	14427481	14603337	-175856	13771518.64	655962
(1) Beaufort_Sea	1071070	1070384	686	1071000.73	69
(2) Chukchi_Sea	966006	965785	222	965989.12	17
(3) East_Siberian_Sea	1087137	1087132	5	1087137.23	0
(4) Laptev_Sea	897845	897838	7	897844.8	0
(5) Kara_Sea	935023	909437	25586	911762.37	23261
(6) Barents_Sea	649606	566421	83185	434920.5	214686
(7) Greenland_Sea	772110	625671	146439	635758.41	136351
(8) Baffin_Bay_Gulf_of_St._Lawrence	1040295	1429059	-388764	1335264.28	-294969
(9) Canadian_Archipelago	854931	853531	1399	854877.96	53
(10) Hudson_Bay	1260870	1260595	276	1260903.34	-33
(11) Central_Arctic	3235930	3204874	31056	3195022.33	40907
(12) Bering_Sea	689769	671512	18256	333643.58	356125
(13) Baltic_Sea	155657	88990	66666	35593.84	120063
(14) Sea_of_Okhotsk	742439	914421	-171982	720462	21977

The table shows that most regions are close to or above the 20-year average.  Two major deficits are in Baffin Bay and Sea of Okhotsk, partly offset by several smaller surpluses, mostly in Greenland Sea, Barents and Bering seas.