Scientists announced Tuesday that the sea ice found in Antarctica is set to reach a record high as it continues to expand. In an ironic twist of fate, the Arctic sea ice continues to shrink to its sixth lowest level ever.

According to satellite data from the National Ice and Snow Data Centre (NSIDC), the Antarctic sea ice is expected to expand to a maximum of 19.7 million square kilometers and will continue to grow.

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The area occupied by the Antarctic sea ice is apparently now highly visible from space due to its massive expanse, says Jan Lieser, of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-operative Research Centre (CRC).

It's an enigma why the Antarctic sea ice seems to be expanding at an alarming rate and in contrast, Arctic ice dwindles. However, scientists suggest that a rapid change in wind patterns is causing the sea ice to build up in the Antarctic.

The NSIDC in Boulder, Colorado released some figures that demonstrated how the Arctic sea ice is shrinking to its lowest point ever, comparing the sea ice levels during the summer season before it refreezes again in the winter. Its sea ice will be below the avarage by millions of square kilometers.

The Arctic sea ice will now measure 5.09 million square kilometers which will be its sixth recorded lowest but not as drastic as 2012's 3.5 million square kilometers.  

The NSIDC have recorded some siginificant data where they observed a specific change in the Laptev Sea that triggered a massive retreat of sea ice. For reasons unknown, the sea temperatures in the area were recorded 5 degrees Celsius warmer than the norm.

As climate change takes part in this sudden chain of events, this decline of sea ice over the Arctic has been worrisome for scientists alike as not only the polar regions experience the consequences of greenhouse gases but inevitably the rest of the planet as well.

TagsRecord Setting Sea Ice in the Antarctic Rises But Arctic Shrinks; Blame It On Climate Change, Antarctica, Arctic, antarctic sea ice expands, arctic sea ice shrinks, greenhouse effect, US