Researchers tracked 724 Northern Hemisphere lakes from 2000 to 2022; above critical winter temperatures, ice-loss sensitivity rose up to 22-fold and could shorten seasons by 40 days

A new international study has found that lake ice across the Northern Hemisphere could shrink by about 40 days by the end of this century if emissions remain high. Researchers identified critical winter temperature thresholds beyond which ice loss accelerates sharply, raising concerns over water quality, freshwater ecosystems and communities that depend on stable winter ice.

Researchers tracked 724 Northern Hemisphere lakes from 2000 to 2022; above critical winter temperatures, ice-loss sensitivity rose up to 22-fold and could shorten seasons by 40 days
A new international study has found that lake ice across the Northern Hemisphere could shrink by about 40 days by the end of this century if emissions remain high. Researchers identified critical winter temperature thresholds beyond which ice loss accelerates sharply, raising concerns over water quality, freshwater ecosystems and communities that depend on stable winter ice.