OREANDA-NEWS. The ozone hole over the Arctic, which reached a record size in March 2020, has closed. This is reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), an agency of the United Nations.

According to scientists, the destruction of the ozone layer in March was caused by both ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere and very low temperatures in the stratosphere in winter. As a result, the level of ozone depletion became very high, breaking the record set in 2011.

Nevertheless, a month later the situation changed significantly. “The ozone hole closed in April with an increase in stratospheric temperatures which culminated in an influx of ozone-rich air from the lower atmosphere,” WMO explained.

According to Reuters agency, Clare Nullis, an official representative of the WMO, said at a briefing in Geneva that this phenomenon is in no way connected with a decrease in environmental pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic.