Map showing the maximum extent of the ozone hole (red) over Antarctica (centre) in 2022. Ozone layer thicknesses are colour coded from red (lowest) through orange, yellow and light blue to dark blue (highest). The ozone hole reached its annual maximum on 5th October 2022, covering an area of around 26.4 million square kilometres. The 2022 hole was slightly larger than 2021's, but the overall trend is towards a smaller hole. The amount of ozone depleting substances have decreased from peak levels in 2000.