Data from NASA and NOAA indicate continued progress in the recovery of Earth’s ozone layer. The Antarctic ozone hole in 2025 reached its fifth smallest size since 1992. During the period of peak depletion, from early September to mid-October, the hole averaged 18.71 million square kilometers.
The ozone hole reached its largest single-day size on September 9th, with an extent of 22.86 million square kilometers. This is roughly 30% smaller than the record-largest ozone hole recorded in 2006. Moreover, the 2025 ozone hole broke up nearly three weeks earlier than usual.
This improvement is attributed to the Montreal Protocol of 1987, which effectively phased out ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Levels of these substances in the Antarctic stratosphere have decreased by about one-third since peaking around 2000. Scientific models suggest that without the Montreal Protocol, the 2025 ozone hole would have been over a million square miles larger.
Factors such as stratospheric temperatures and the strength of the polar vortex also play a role in ozone depletion. A weaker polar vortex in 2025 likely contributed to the smaller ozone hole. Scientists anticipate that the Antarctic ozone layer will return to its 1980s levels around the late 2060s.
Ongoing monitoring via satellites like NASA’s Aura and NOAA’s NOAA-20 and NOAA-21, along with weather balloons, allows for continuous tracking of ozone levels. In 2025, the lowest concentration over the South Pole was 147 Dobson Units on October 6, compared to a record low of 92 Dobson Units in 2006. These observations underscore the importance of sustained international cooperation and environmental stewardship in protecting our planet’s atmosphere.
Image Credit: India Today
