This year's maximum Antarctic sea ice extent is the third-lowest on record, according to NASA.
NASA says the ice likely peaked on Sept. 14 at nearly 6.8 million square miles, around the time the Southern Hemisphere's winter was coming to an end.
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The agency says the National Snow and Ice Data Center helps track Antarctica's sea ice each year.
According to NASA, total Antarctic sea ice increased by about 1% per decade between 1979 and 2014.
During the later years of that period, from 2012 to 2014, researchers recorded some of the highest sea ice levels on record.
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The decline began in 2016, and while there have been occasional rebounds, NASA says sea ice coverage has remained below average.
"Both the record low minimum and record low maximum occurred in 2023," NASA said in its report. "Scientists will continue to observe the area each year to find out if the decline is part of a long-term change or a statistical fluctuation."