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These glaciers are an important water resource for nearby communities, plants and animals. However, some have decreased in area, others have disappeared altogether, and some have become stagnant ice fields. Full story: go.nasa.gov/3Sgiugj

Did you know there are glaciers in Africa? These are the Rwenzori Mountains, reaching 16,000 feet above sea level. Along with Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, they contain the bulk of East Africa’s tropical glaciers. They’re also in strong decline.

Satellites 🤝 Farmers NASA’s OpenET system turns satellite data into valuable water insights, helping farmers across the U.S. track how much water is lost to air through evapotranspiration and how to better manage their resources. More: go.nasa.gov/4j4wjt2

Celebrate Earth Day with us: go.nasa.gov/3RsMeGk

At NASA, we study our home planet like no one else. From land, air and space, NASA satellites have been observing Earth for more than 60 years! #EarthDay

In March 2025, Arctic sea ice hit its lowest annual peak on record. At the other end of the globe, Antarctic sea ice cover was the second-lowest on record that month. That means that, overall, Earth’s sea ice reached a new record low in 2025. 🌊🧊 go.nasa.gov/4j0lgCe

Sea ice update 🌊🧊 Global sea ice hit a record low this winter, @NASA and @NSIDC report. In the Arctic, winter sea ice was the lowest it’s ever been at its annual peak this year. The Antarctic sea ice minimum was also the second-lowest on record. More: go.nasa.gov/4j4KpuV

Like many glaciers in the Alps, the Great Aletsch Glacier is retreating and thinning. These #Landsat images show change over the past 40 years. The shortening and narrowing of a glacier’s surface area can indicate a net loss of ice mass. go.nasa.gov/4inoZJB

Sea level update 🌊 In 2024, global sea level rose faster than expected mostly due to ocean water expanding as it warms, or thermal expansion. According to a NASA-led study, 2024’s rise was 0.23 in (0.59 cm) per year, compared to the expected rate of 0.17 in (0.43 cm) per year.

From severe weather to air quality, tiny atmospheric particles can have a big impact. A #NASAScience-funded team is exploring how metasurface optical elements could enable lighter & smaller space-based instruments to characterize these particles and improve our climate models and weather predictions. science.nasa.gov/science-resear…

Although Mendenhall’s retreat began centuries ago, warming temperatures have accelerated its decline. Between 2005 and 2019, the wider Juneau Icefield (Mendenhall’s source) lost 63 of 1,050 glaciers and 10% of its ice. Satellites like Landsat help scientists track these changes over time.

These #Landsat images show how the size of the Mendenhall Glacier changed from 1986 to 2024, using infrared bands to differentiate ice, rocks & soil, and vegetation. The glacier has retreated about a mile, and in some places thinned by 2,000 feet. go.nasa.gov/3QGqJS9

Low seasonal snowpack and snow persistence affect downstream communities’ water security and affect fire activity in the region. More info: go.nasa.gov/4i3TRyf

Mountain snow is disappearing in the high-altitude region surrounding the Himalayas due to warmer and drier conditions. The shift is visible in these #Landsat 9 images from January 2022 and 2025.

In a report from Jan. 9, 2025, @noaa confirmed that La Niña conditions were present, though the Pacific Ocean may return to neutral conditions in spring 2025. “Although La Niña is here, it’s not a particularly strong one.” – Josh Willis, @NASAJPL oceanographer

La Niña showed up in early December 2024, but it may not stick around long. The climate pattern tends to bring cooler, drier weather and is also associated with lower-than-average sea levels in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. go.nasa.gov/4aSnDDA

They found decreasing groundwater reservoirs, shifts in the timing of seasons, and more frequent extreme events by analyzing @NASA satellite data from 2003-2020. go.nasa.gov/3CEc06H

Earth’s water cycle is shifting in unprecedented ways due to human changes to agriculture systems and human-caused climate change. The shifts could affect the accuracy of climate models, water management practices, and more.