Antarctic ozone hole ranks seventh-largest in 48 years
NASA and NOAA scientists report that the 2026 Antarctic ozone hole averaged 9.6 million square miles (25 million square kilometers) between 7 Sep and 13 Oct. Its peak came on 18 Sep at 10.5 million square miles (27.1 million square kilometers), about 90% of the record set on 9 Sep 2000. The season ranks seventh-largest across 48 years of monitoring. Weather conditions were ideal for enhanced depletion, according to NASA. The scientists say international limits on ozone-destroying chemicals kept the hole 1 to 2 million square miles smaller than it otherwise would have been.
Key facts
- A powerful polar vortex extended ozone depletion in the Antarctic this season.
- The protective ozone layer remains on track to recover by later this century, according to the scientists.
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Why it matters
The scientists say the ozone layer remains on track to recover later this century.
What changed
First published from NASA and Phys.org