Study warns Northern Hemisphere lakes could lose around 40 days of winter ice by 2100

A study tracked 724 Northern Hemisphere lakes from 2000 to 2022 and found that above critical winter temperatures, ice-loss sensitivity rises up to 22-fold.

If emissions remain high, lakes could lose about 40 days of winter ice by 2100.

Spring ice melt is more sensitive to warming than autumn freeze-up, causing faster overall ice loss.

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Ice loss threatens water quality, freshwater ecosystems, and communities relying on stable winter ice.