Arctic sea ice shrinks to tie lowest level for winter

Arctic sea ice has shrunk to a tie for its lowest winter peak on record. Winter is when ice grows, but not as much as normal this year. On Thursday, scientists report the peak area ends around 5.52 million square miles. The National Snow and Ice Data Center says that matches last year’s low. The amount sits far below the long-term winter average. Ice center scientist Walt Meier says the winter peak shows a steady warming signal. Climatologist Maximiliano Herrera also tracks widespread March heat records across several regions. Yet in Antarctica, the cold set a record for March.