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Antarctic Megaberg A‑23A Turns Vivid Blue as NASA Says Collapse Is Imminent

Meltwater pooling is forcing open internal cracks and hastening failure in the warmer South Atlantic.

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The iceberg known as A-23a, noted for its striking blue stripes, drifts near ear South Georgia Island on Dec. 26, 2025. It broke loose from Antarctica in 1986 but is expected to soon melt away in the warmer northern waters.

Overview

  • NASA imagery from December 26–27 shows extensive blue melt ponds and “blue mush” on A‑23A, signaling severe surface waterlogging.
  • The U.S. National Ice Center estimated the iceberg’s area at roughly 456 square miles (about 1,182 square kilometers) in early January 2026.
  • Scientists describe a rampart‑moat around the berg’s edge and a likely “blowout,” where pooled water punched through the rim and spilled into the ocean.
  • Researchers, including Chris Shuman and Tedd Scambos, say the berg is on the verge of complete disintegration and may not survive the austral summer.
  • A‑23A calved from the Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986, spent decades grounded in the Weddell Sea, then drifted north through a Taylor‑column vortex and has fragmented repeatedly en route to the South Atlantic iceberg graveyard.