Updates on Sea Ice Extent at Both Poles

Here is the latest graph of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extents--specifically the 12-month moving averages, in millions of square kilometers. 

Projecting the 2025 final annual numbers based on the monthly anomalies year-to-date, 2025 is 4th-lowest since 1978, but only 0.18 Mkm2 higher than the lowest year of 2020. That's 1.8% higher. It's not inconceivable that Arctic SIE extent will set a record low soon for the 12-mth moving average. Except this August suddenly jumped to 5% higher than 12 months ago, when the monthly SIEs had been lower than last year's all months up to now. Maybe (?) it's the La Nina that seems to be trying to form?

Maybe useless numerics, but I find them fun.