While cold weather is settling in the northern parts of the world this December, an unexpected phenomenon is taking place underneath the earth.
The soil that should lignify is going through thaws that are highly unpredictable due to changing freeze–thaw cycles, and the consequences for the environment are much more significant than most people realize.
This story is not about ice that melts far away and animals that live there. It’s about the soil in parks, woods, and even the backyards of the suburbs that is releasing carbon which has been stored for hundreds of years, and at the same time, the release is getting faster than the climate models had predicted only five years ago.
We can compare permafrost and seasonally frozen soil to a freezer in nature. When they are healthy, these frozen layers safeguard organic matter and do not allow it to rot.
However, if they thaw—even if it is for a short time—microbes become active and thus they dismantle the organic material that they find, in consequence, they emit carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.
The issue of the freeze–thaw cycles getting worse is what the people of this winter are concerned about. There are no longer grounds that remain frozen from December till March, instead, warm spells are seen to break the winter, making the soil thaw and then freeze again.
Every single cycle causes the soil to lose its natural structure and speeds up the release of carbon.
The Amount of What We Are Losing
Permafrost across the Northern Hemisphere possesses substantial amounts of organic carbon that has been trapped for a long time—almost two times more than what is in the atmosphere at the moment.
Even a small portion of it that goes into the air leads to the creation of a feedback loop that gets warming done faster.
What makes this December extremely worrying is the kind of behavior that is showing up in Canada, Russia, Scandinavia, and Alaska.
Fluctuations in temperature between 20–30 degrees Fahrenheit within one week are happening frequently and that is allowing carbon release to be at the highest levels while the soil gets the least amount of recovery time because of unstable freeze–thaw cycles.
Winter 2025 Is Different
This is not one of those warm winter stories that you have heard many times. The frequency and the strength of these events are the main differences.
The meteorological data reveals that we are having the mid-winter warming situations that last 3–5 days longer than usual and that penetrate even the layers of the soil which are considered to be frozen all year round.
There are many visible signs for the people living in the northern regions to which they can refer the situation here:
Roads are deforming, foundations of buildings are moving, and slopes are falling. These are not only issues of infrastructure—they are indications of the occurrence of a carbon-release event in real-time linked to disrupted freeze–thaw cycles.
The Feedback Loop No One Talks About
What makes this situation quite alarming is that when soil releases carbon, this adds to atmospheric warming that leads to more thawing thus, more carbon is released. We are not just witnessing climate change anymore—we are witnessing its speeding up by itself.
Scientists refer to this as a positive feedback loop, although there is nothing positive about it.
The warmer the environment becomes, the more the earth that is frozen will thaw. The more it melts, the more greenhouse gases will be emitted into the atmosphere. The cycle is self-sufficient and every winter it becomes stronger because of intensified freeze–thaw cycles.
Outside the Arctic Circle
You might assume that this only impacts four remote areas located at the north of the world, but the reality is that this is a matter of the whole globe. Methane, which comes from permafrost that is thawing, is 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide over a century.
This means that carbon emitted from the Siberian tundra this December will be the cause of heat waves in Europe next summer and hurricane intensification in the Atlantic next fall.
Our climate system is interconnected, so no region is isolated from these changes. The changes in weather patterns, precipitation, and ecosystems are the aftereffects of thawing zones that spread like waves, heavily influenced by rapid freeze–thaw cycles.
What Actually Helps
Such an immense problem may be discouraging, but some particular actions have a visible positive impact. One measure is the protection of current forests, especially those in the boreal areas, which helps keep the permafrost cool, and shallow thawing is lessened. These woodlands serve as the earth’s natural armor, making temperatures of the ground more stable even during spells of heat.
Furthermore, the adoption of regenerative farming methods that contribute to soil carbon in the temperate areas is a good way to counter some emissions. Although it is impossible to stop carbon release from permafrost, we can still take part in the carbon cycle as a sink.
The choices made by a person in terms of energy use, means of transport, and consumption patterns have some collective effect. Any tiny step towards the prevention of global temperature rise means that the permafrost regions that are already frozen will remain so for longer despite changing freeze–thaw cycles.
Final thought
The most recent study by the International Permafrost Association unveils that permafrost is a giant carbon reservoir holding around 1,700 billion tons of it.
This is not a story of disaster—rather, it’s a sober recognition of the reality and a pledge to carry out those actions which lessen the damage. The earth under our feet is calling. The question is whether we are willing to hear it and respond with the urgency this moment demands as freeze–thaw cycles continue to redefine winter.
Karan Shukla is a college student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, with a strong focus on sustainability and climate change. He is passionate about environments issues, biodiversity and greenery and he also conducts independent studies on them. Karan aims to educate and inspire others on pressing global issues.