Massive Iceberg, Largest on Record, Begins to Collapse

Gurus predict that the enormous "iceberg" named A23a may disintegrate within just a few weeks.

, and Administrator

2025 September 12 . 1:27 PM

2 min read

Gargantuan Iceberg Begins to Split and Collapse

Massive Iceberg, Largest on Record, Begins to Collapse

Massive Antarctic Iceberg A23a Nearing Its End

A giant iceberg known as A23a, which has been drifting in the Southern Ocean for over three decades, is nearing its end. The once colossal iceberg, covering an area nearly as large as Anchorage, Alaska, has shrunk to just 683 square miles (1,770 square kilometers) in the past few months.

A23a started its journey when it broke off Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. Over the years, it followed the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, a path known as "Iceberg Alley," and then became trapped in an ocean vortex near the South Orkney Islands in April 2024. It remained grounded on the bottom of the Weddell Sea for more than 30 years before detaching and beginning its slow drift northward in 2020.

In recent weeks, massive chunks of ice measuring up to 250 square miles (400 square kilometers) have broken off from A23a. Andrew Meijers, a physical oceanographer from the British Antarctic Survey, stated that A23a is breaking up rapidly and is "basically rotting underneath" due to warm waters. According to Meijers, the iceberg could disappear completely within weeks.

The disappearance of Antarctic behemoths like A23a is a stark reminder of how rapidly humans are reshaping this critical region. While A23a itself does not raise global sea levels because it is already floating in the ocean, the loss of such large icebergs serves as a sign of rising global temperatures.

The iceberg A23a is not the only one to have made headlines in recent years. In 2017, the even larger iceberg A68a, which covered an area of 3,000 square miles (7,800 square kilometers), broke off from the Larsen C ice shelf. During its lifetime, A68a dumped more than 1 trillion tons of fresh water into the ocean.

Research suggests that Antarctica's ice sheet could raise global sea levels by 11 inches (28 centimeters) by 2100. The rapid disappearance of icebergs like A23a highlights the urgent need to address climate change and protect this critical region.

The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded A23a's journey since it broke off Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has determined the current size of the A23a iceberg in the past weeks using satellite data. Despite its impending demise, many of the broken pieces from A23a are still large enough to pose a threat to ships.

As A23a's journey comes to an end, it serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of climate change on our planet. The iceberg's rapid decay highlights the urgent need for global action to address rising temperatures and protect the world's ice sheets.