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Accelerated rates of warming in the Arctic continue

The American Meteorological Society released its annual report on the global climate this week, with many researchers from the �ֻ�ֱ�� participating. 

“” provides the latest updates on global climate-related research. It provides a big-picture view of what was learned last year from data collected on parts of the complex story of environmental change. It also includes details and reflection on extreme weather events.

Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the UAF �ֻ�ֱ�� Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness, is the six-time editor of the Arctic chapter. Thoman also authored a section on the impacts of Typhoon Halong’s remnants in Southwest �ֻ�ֱ��. 

"The value of the Arctic Report Card is that it helps to put what we're seeing here in �ֻ�ֱ�� in the broader context,” Thoman said. “The Arctic is 20 times as big as �ֻ�ֱ��, so these kinds of reports help to put our experience in that pan-Arctic view. In �ֻ�ֱ��, our little piece of the Arctic was cold this winter, but on the Arctic scale, warmth dominated."

Many contributions to the Arctic chapter came from UAF authors, including Thoman, Tom Ballinger, Rick Lader, John Walsh, Uma Bhatt, Chris Waigl, Gabriel Wolken, Vladimir Romanovsky and Skip Walker. 

The data collected in 2025 showed trends that were consistent with previous years, with some local and seasonal variations. A few key takeaways from the Arctic chapter include:

• For the 12th year in a row, temperatures in the Arctic have warmed faster than in the rest of the world. 
• In 2025, ocean and air temperatures were the second highest on record since 1900.
• Precipitation is continuing to trend upward in the Arctic. Although the 2025 average had only the third highest precipitation on record, spring rain and snow amounts set new records. 
• Shrubs and trees are increasing in number farther north, into areas previously dominated by tundra, with 2025 measuring the third greenest since 2000.
• A declining sea ice trend also continued throughout the year but set a new record low during March 2025 measurements. 
• Sea ice older than four years (multiyear ice) is now nearly absent, declining 94% since the 1980s.

Documenting these occurrences annually makes the climate report a key resource for understanding and tracking change globally and in �ֻ�ֱ��.

The climate report is a supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society and has been produced since 1996. To learn more about various climate reports, review this .

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Rick Thoman, rthoman@alaska.edu, 907-474-2415

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