New data reveals one of the smallest ozone holes in decades

Scientists from NOAA and NASA report that the 2025 Antarctic ozone hole is the fifth smallest since 1992, covering an average of 7.23 million square miles and breaking apart three weeks earlier than usual. The smaller hole demonstrates the success of the Montreal Protocol's restrictions on ozone-depleting chemicals, with atmospheric levels declining by about one-third since peaking around 2000. Complete ozone layer recovery is expected by the late 2060s.