Overview
- Copernicus confirmed the Antarctic ozone hole fully closed on December 1, 2025, the earliest closure since 2019.
- For a second straight year the hole was relatively small, breaking a run of unusually large, long‑lived holes from 2020 to 2023.
- The hole spanned roughly 15–20 million square kilometers in September and October, then shrank rapidly in November before vanishing.
- Indicators pointed to higher ozone in the Antarctic stratosphere this season, including a smaller ozone mass deficit and a higher average minimum.
- Scientists are investigating recent variability, exploring roles for the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption and stratospheric temperature changes linked to climate change.