Swiss Glaciers Lose More Than 5% of Ice After Record Heatwave

AP

Switzerland's largest glacier, Aletsch Glacier, suffered its biggest-ever melt this year.

Swiss glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice in 2026 after a winter with exceptionally low snowfall was followed by repeated heatwaves, according to new data from the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS).

The latest figures show that the average ice thickness of some glaciers fell by between 2.5 and 4 metres, while glacier tongues lost as much as 10 metres of thickness over the summer. Switzerland’s glaciers have now lost almost a fifth of their total ice volume over the past five years.

The severe losses were driven by a combination of limited snowfall during the winter of 2025–26 and persistent heat and dry conditions between May and September. During that period, the freezing level remained above 4,000 metres for 76 days — more than twice the long-term average and a record.

The protective snow cover on many glaciers disappeared during the heatwaves as early as June. By September, there was no snow remaining even at altitudes of around 3,500 metres, according to GLAMOS.

Several glaciers experienced their greatest annual melt on record, including the Allalin, Clariden, Great Aletsch and Rhône glaciers. Switzerland’s largest glacier, the Great Aletsch Glacier, recorded its highest-ever level of melting, while the Glacier de Tsanfleuron lost more than four metres of average thickness.

The 2026 losses were just below the record set in 2022. Scientists said the lower loss this year was partly due to slightly greater snow cover on some glaciers and less Saharan dust deposited on the snow, allowing it to reflect more sunlight.

Despite the rapid ice loss, melting glaciers temporarily helped ease water shortages during the summer. Scientists estimate that Swiss glaciers released around 2.2 trillion litres of water between July and September, equivalent to more than four times the annual drinking-water consumption of Swiss households.

However, researchers warned that this benefit will diminish as glaciers continue to shrink and the amount of ice available to melt decreases.

Matthias Huss, director of GLAMOS, said extreme years of glacier loss were becoming increasingly common, describing the situation as worrying.

The latest findings highlight the accelerating retreat of Switzerland’s glaciers and the growing impact of extreme heat and declining snowfall on the country’s Alpine ice reserves.


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