Antarctica Gained Ice Between 2021–2023—But Scientists Say It’s Not a Comeback

After nearly 20 years of consistent ice loss, Antarctica unexpectedly gained ice between 2021 and 2023, according to new satellite data. The Antarctic Ice Sheet—one of the biggest contributors to sea-level rise—added roughly 107.79 gigatonnes of ice each year during that period.

The surprise shift was caused by unusually heavy snowfall, which temporarily slowed the pace of global sea-level rise by about 0.30 millimeters per year. The data comes from the GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite missions, which measure changes in Earth’s gravity to track how much ice Antarctica is losing or gaining.

But climate scientists are urging caution. They say this brief period of growth doesn’t signal a long-term recovery.

“This isn’t a reversal,” researchers emphasize. “It’s a short-term blip caused by rare weather patterns.”

And with climate change continuing to warm the planet and oceans, the outlook remains concerning. Warmer air holds more moisture, but rising temperatures over Antarctica could eventually reduce snowfall. Meanwhile, melting from below—driven by warmer ocean water—is eating away at the ice sheet from the edges.

In short: while the ice gain between 2021 and 2023 is real, the larger trend of ice loss isn’t going away. Scientists warn that unless global emissions are curbed, Antarctica’s long-term stability—and our sea levels—remain at serious risk.