UW News

Gemma O’Connor


September 10, 2025

Researchers find key to Antarctic ice loss blowing in the north wind

A large wall of ice sits atop the ice-covered surface of west Antarctica. Penguins walk across the surface of the sea ice.

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.