# Antarctic Ozone Hole Hits 15 Million km2

> Antarctic ozone hole reached 15 million km2 in September 2026, exceeding Antarctica's size.
- Title: Antarctic Ozone Hole Hits 15 Million km2 · MercoPress
- Summary: Antarctic ozone hole reached 15 million km2 in September 2026, exceeding Antarctica's size. The Antarctic ozone hole expanded to 15 million km2 in September…
- Keywords: copernicus atmosphere monitoring service, ozone hole, antarctica, 2026, september, ozone layer, news, world, politics, Antarctic, Ozone, Hole
- Source: MercoPress — https://en.mercopress.com/2026/10/21/the-area-of-antarctic-ozone-hole-during-september-reached-15-million-km2-says-copernicus
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: copernicus atmosphere monitoring service, ozone hole, antarctica, 2026, september, ozone layer, news, world, politics
## Antarctic Ozone Hole Size
The 2026 Antarctic ozone hole reached 15 million km2 by end of August 2026.
## Ozone Hole Development
The ozone hole expanded to 25 million km2 on 12 September 2026, 5 million km2 above average.
## Ozone Depletion Process
Cold temperatures form polar stratospheric clouds that activate ozone removal via halogens.
## Temperature Drop
A sudden decrease in minimum temperature at 20km above South Pole occurred in early September.
## CAMS Director Statement
Laurence Rouil said CAMS provides data to track ozone layer recovery and understand its state.
## Ozone Hole Recovery Trend
Recent years show smaller and shorter-lived ozone holes indicating ongoing recovery.
## Key takeaway

The Antarctic ozone hole expanded to 15 million km2 in September 2026, surpassing Antarctica's area and showing rapid development.