Satellite retrievals of blowing snow reveal an occurrence frequency of 19 % over Arctic sea ice, with some regions experiencing frequencies of 35 %. The variability in blowing snow occurrence is linked to the Arctic Oscillation, a climate pattern which controls storm location and strength. The amount of sublimation inferred from observations and predicted by two models suggests blowing snow removes 14–16 % of total Arctic snowfall, highlighting the key role of blowing snow in Arctic climate.