Denmark develops tool to predict ice-free Arctic summers
by AFP Staff Writers
Copenhagen (AFP) June 27, 2025

The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) said on Friday it was developing a tool to predict when the Arctic will be ice-free in summer, to anticipate the consequences on the Earth's climate.

"IcyAlert is designed to provide knowledge and early warnings that society can act on," project leader Tian Tian said in a statement.

Developed by scientists in Denmark and Belgium, the system will use "artificial intelligence, advanced climate modelling and causal analysis" to predict when the Arctic will be ice-free in summer "and to assess global climate impacts".

Melting sea ice accelerates the warming of the Arctic, a region that is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet.

The DMI said ice-free Arctic summers could become a reality as soon as the early 2030s.

This is expected to contribute to more extreme heatwaves and storms, as well as disrupting meteorological models, ecosystems and fishing.

The new tool and first alerts are expected to be available as of 2028.

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