Bellingshausen Sea Loses Ice the Size of France Amid Record Antarctic Heat

Satellite data from early June 2026 show the Bellingshausen Sea, west of the Antarctic Peninsula, was ice-free. Relative to the 1991-2020 average, the area lacked about 650,000 sq km of sea ice—roughly the size of France and ten times Tasmania. The loss occurred during Antarctic winter, when sea ice normally expands.

The Guardian

Winter sea-ice peaks in September. By 10 June, Antarctic sea-ice cover was 11.4 million sq km, below the 12.6 million sq km average. Dr Will Hobbs said this is the third low-ice event in four years for Bellingshausen Sea.

The Guardian

Researchers include Dr Will Hobbs (University of Tasmania, Australian Antarctic Program), Dr Phil Reid (Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology), Dr Peter Fretwell (British Antarctic Survey), and Argentina’s Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, operator of Esperanza base.

The Guardian

The 650,000 sq km ice deficit occurred as Esperanza base recorded 15.4 °C on 5 June and 13.4 °C on 6 June, far above the –6.2 °C daily-maximum average. In 2022, the region saw a catastrophic emperor-penguin breeding failure that killed thousands of chicks, prompting UN advisers to list the species as endangered.

The Guardian

Winter sea-ice loss eliminates krill habitat, affecting penguins, seals and other predators. Dr Fretwell warned that delayed ice formation and early breakup lengthen penguin foraging trips and lower breeding success. Dr Reid said prolonged ice loss could hasten breakup of floating ice shelves before the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, potentially raising their contribution to global sea-level rise.

The Guardian

Dr Hobbs expressed concern that ice loss may have amplified the heatwave. Dr Reid called the coastal exposure “incredible” for both winter and summer. Dr Fretwell labeled the situation a “serious problem for penguins, especially emperors.” Argentine officials called the temperature spike an “extreme temperature event.”

The Guardian

Scientists have not quantified the exact contribution of the ice-free Bellingshausen Sea to the heatwave, nor the precise effect on penguin breeding; research continues to assess whether global heating drives the recent sea-ice decline.

The Guardian

• “I’m concerned. It’s depressing,” — Dr Will Hobbs, Antarctic sea-ice expert

The Guardian

• “It is remarkable that we are in June and there is no sea ice there.” — Dr Will Hobbs

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• “Sea ice is forming too late and breaking up too early. It leads to reduced breeding success and longer trips to moulting grounds.” — Dr Peter Fretwell, British Antarctic Survey

The Guardian

• “Floating ice shelves in front of the glaciers could break up faster if protective sea ice is absent for longer periods, he said, and this could then speed up the loss of ice from the glaciers, pushing up global sea levels in the future.” — Dr Phil Reid, Bureau of Meteorology

The Guardian

Satellite surveillance will continue through the Southern Hemisphere summer to track sea-ice recovery. Field teams plan targeted studies of krill distribution and penguin foraging to gauge ecosystem response. Updated glacier-dynamics assessments are slated for later in 2026, informing sea-level projections.

The Guardian