2020 Weather Patterns Push Antarctic Ozone Hole to 12th Largest on Record

  • Released Friday, October 30th, 2020
  • Updated Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 at 1:44PM
  • ID: 13752

A cold and stable Antarctic vortex supported the development of the 12th largest ozone hole on record in 2020. The hole reached its peak extent on September 20th at 24.8 million square kilometers.

Music credit: “Solar Winds" from Universal Production Music

Complete transcript available.

Ozone-depleting compounds – CFCs – persist in the atmosphere for many decades, interacting with ozone molecules when conditions are favorable. CFCs were controlled by the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Overall, the ozone layer is recovering and we expect the hole to heal by the 2070s.

Ozone-depleting compounds released by humans cause the ozone hole, but cold weather and strong winds drove a larger than average 2020 ozone hole -- the 12th largest in our 40-year record.

Ozone-depleting compounds released by humans cause the ozone hole, but cold weather and strong winds drove a larger than average 2020 ozone hole -- the 12th largest in our 40-year record.

Credits

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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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