NASA reports ozone hole over Antarctica nearly three times size of US

This year's ozone hole over Antarctica measures nearly 20 million square kilometers, almost three times the size of the contiguous United States. It reached its maximum extent of 22.4 million square kilometers on September 28, marking one of the smallest holes recorded. The reduction in size is attributed to declining levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and unexpected ozone influxes from northern air currents. This year's hole is the seventh smallest since recovery efforts began in 1992, following the Montreal Protocol's implementation. Despite these improvements, scientists caution that the ozone layer is not fully healed. Current monitoring continues with advanced satellite instruments, and the ozone layer could fully recover by 2066 if trends persist.