The Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS), a major contributor to global sea-level rise, has been steadily losing mass, especially in West and parts of East Antarctica. However, between 2021 and 2023, it gained around 107.79 gigatonnes of ice annually—an unexpected shift after nearly two decades of decline.
Researchers attribute this anomaly to unusually heavy snowfall, which temporarily reduced the annual sea-level rise by 0.30 millimeters. This change was detected using satellite gravimetry data from the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions, which track Earth’s gravity to monitor ice mass.
Despite the gain, scientists warn that this is not a sign of long-term recovery. The gain was driven by abnormal weather, and continued snowfall and cooler temperatures are unlikely under current climate trends.
Rising temperatures and warming oceans remain the main threats, reducing snowfall and accelerating ice melt—key drivers of sea-level rise. The climate crisis continues to pose serious risks to Antarctica’s stability.
