UW News
Gemma O’Connor
September 10, 2025
Researchers find key to Antarctic ice loss blowing in the north wind

Antarctic ice is melting at a startling pace, and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of the greatest sources of uncertainty in climate projections. Researchers thought westerly winds were accelerating ice loss, but a new study from UW flips the narrative by 90 degrees, pointing instead to winds from the north.