Largest Ever Arctic Ozone Layer Hole Recorded

Northern areas of Norway, Russia, and Greenland likely exposed to high levels of harmful UV rays.

A team of climatologists report today that a hole in the ozone layer above the Arctic grew to its largest ever size earlier this year. The unprecedented hole, which spread over parts of Norway, Russia, and Greenland, was spurred on by persistently cold temperatures in the stratosphere in early 2011. That cold allowed for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere, such as chlorine, to eat away at the ozone layer for much longer than usual in the later stages of winter, leading to the biggest ozone hole ever recorded in the northern hemisphere. Holes in the ozone layer mean harmful UV rays can make it to the Earth's surface, increasing the risk of skin cancer and cataracts. The news of the record-setting hole follows reports last month that the Conservative government would be shutting down Canada's ozone-monitoring system to help balance the budget.