Swiss Alps are melting: Glaciers have shrunk 20% in five years

Glaciers in the Swiss Alps continue to shrink rapidly under the influence of heat waves and low snowfall. According to a new report prepared by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS) and the Swiss Cryosphere Observation Commission of the Swiss Academy of Sciences, the total volume of glaciers in the country has fallen by only about 20 percent in the last five years.

In 2026, 5 percent of the ice mass disappeared.

The report states that 2026 was extremely loss‑laden for Swiss glaciers. While more than 5 percent of the total ice mass melted during the year, some glaciers experienced an average thickness loss of between 2.5 and 4 meters.

It was reported that melt rates accelerated further in the summer months, with the thickness of some glacier tongues dropping by as much as 10 meters in just a few months.

The decline in snowfall accelerated melt.

According to experts, one major cause of glacier loss was the fact that snow depth across the entire Alps fell well below long‑term averages during the 2025‑2026 winter.

It was indicated that the winter period between November 2025 and April 2026 was one of the ten winters, since measurements began, with the least snowfall in the region. Following the low precipitation, drought and heat waves also affected the May–September period.

During this period, the number of days the freezing level remained above 4,000 meters reached 76. According to the report, this figure exceeds twice the long‑term average.

Not even at 3,500 meters was there any snow.

Heat waves that were active in June caused a substantial portion of the protective snow cover on the glaciers to be removed.

By September, it was reported that even some areas at heights of up to 3,500 meters above sea level had completely lost their snow cover. Experts warned that the present conditions threaten the long‑term existence of small glaciers.

The complete disappearance of some small glaciers such as Bella Tola and Griessfiren/Plattalvafirn was cited as concrete examples of the ongoing change.

Record Melting Occurred in Some Glaciers

2026 came right after 2022, the year that reached the highest recorded melt level for glaciers. The report noted that the total loss of snow accumulation in some areas was somewhat limited compared to 2022.

It was also stated that the reduced transport of Saharan dust onto the snow surface in 2026 contributed to greater reflection of sunlight.

Nevertheless, it was reported that some of the highest melt amounts recorded on measurement dates in 2026 were observed at the Allalin, Clariden, Aletsch, and Rhone glaciers.

2.2 Trillion Liters of Water Lost

According to the report, glaciers lost about 2.2 trillion liters of water only during the July-September period. It was noted that this amount exceeds four times the annual drinking water consumption of all households in Switzerland.

Glacier melt contributes to water supplies in the summer, somewhat easing the effects of drought. Yet, as glaciated areas shrink, this natural water support is expected to wane.

Experts note that the long‑term survival of glaciers in today's climate is growing harder to sustain.