Antarctica gained record 695 billion tons of ice after decades of loss

Antarctica has been losing mass for years as glaciers shed ice into the ocean, contributing to rising sea levels. But between 2021 and 2023, the continent experienced an unusual and temporary reversal. Instead of continuing to lose mass at its recent rate, Antarctica gained about 695 billion tonnes over 22 months, marking its largest 22-month mass gain in the past two decades. A study published in Nature found that the unusual increase was largely driven by exceptional snowfall in parts of East Antarctica. The researchers found that the continent's average mass loss was about 140.5 billion tonnes per year between 2003 and 2024, but the balance changed sharply between July 2021 and April 2023.