A decline in April-May rainfall over south-east Australia is associated with a southward expansion of the subtropical dry-zone.

This September, sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean fell to the lowest extent in the satellite record, which began in 1979. Satellite data showed that the sea ice cover reached its lowest extent on September 16. Sea ice extent averaged for the month of September was also the lowest in the satellite record. As the Arctic was experiencing a record low minimum extent, the Antarctic sea ice was reaching record high levels, culminating in a Southern Hemisphere winter maximum extent of 19.44 million square kilometers (7.51 million square miles) on September 26.

The extent of sea ice has been decreasing for decades, but its melting has accelerated within the last ten years. The shrinking is in line with global warming, researchers say.