Brazilian scientists warn atmospheric rivers speed Antarctic melt

Researchers from Brazil say atmospheric rivers—narrow corridors that move heat and moisture from the tropics to Antarctica—now drive about 80% of heat‑wave events across the continent, up from roughly 25% when monitoring began. The increase has accelerated surface melt, including a 2022 episode at the Concordia research station where temperatures spiked 43 °C above seasonal expectations, a record for Antarctic observations.

The scientists highlighted the vulnerability of West Antarctica, where the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers act as key ice‑sheet anchors. Modelling suggests that a collapse of Thwaites alone could raise global sea level by roughly 63 cm, with additional rise if Pine Island also fails. The findings were presented by Professor Heitor Evangelista da Silva of the University Estadual de Rio de Janeiro and the Criosfera 1 remote laboratory during the 78th annual meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science in Niterói.