Swiss glaciers lost about 5.5% of their remaining ice volume in 2026, the second-largest annual loss on record after 2022 (about 5.9%), GLAMOS and the Swiss Ac…
Many Alpine glaciers peaked around the mid-19th century. Retreat has dominated since, with small advances in the 1910s-20s and 1970s-80s.
Length changes since the 1880s; mass balance on the Claridenfirn since 1914; Swiss-wide detailed observations since the 1950s.
Roughly 75 km³ in 2000. Annual losses then mostly ran at 0.5% to 2.5% of the remaining volume.
One of the worst glacier years then measured. It stayed the reference point until 2022.
Little winter snow, Saharan dust darkening the snow and a long hot summer. Mass balance about -3.1 m water equivalent.
Nearly. 2022 and 2023 together removed as much ice as the three decades 1960-1990.
Only partly. Hot July and August plus Saharan dust melted the snow fast. August 2024 set a monthly record.
Rock falling onto the Birch Glacier made it collapse on 28 May 2025, burying most of Blatten. Residents had been evacuated on 19 May.
About 45.1 km³ at the end of 2025, 30 km³ less than in 2000. About 24% was lost in 2015-2025.
The day a glacier has melted all of the winter's snow and starts losing older ice. 2026's came extremely early.
Plattalva in Glarus was declared extinct. About 160 Swiss glaciers have vanished since 2016.
The second-largest annual percentage loss on record. Aletsch lost about 13 m of thickness at its lowest point.
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