Cracks and openings in sea ice, called leads, play an important role in regulating heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere, affecting global climate patterns. This study used a machine learning model trained on wintertime data from 2003 to 2023 to identify the key drivers of leads across the Southern Ocean and sub-regions. The analysis shows that directional wind components, ocean currents and ice divergence are the primary drivers, though their importance differs across regions and seasons.