Swiss glaciers lose over 5% of ice in 2026 after record heatwave

Swiss glaciers experienced one of their worst years of ice loss in 2026, with more than 5% of their volume melting away due to a combination of a winter with insufficient snow and record-breaking summer temperatures. Scientists from the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS) and the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences reported that over the past five years, Swiss glaciers have lost nearly a fifth of their ice. This accelerating retreat poses a threat to future water supplies and raises concerns about the long-term viability of Europe's ice fields. Matthias Huss, director of GLAMOS, described the situation as "really worrying" and noted that while the rate of loss has not yet reached the extreme highs of 2022, the trend of extreme melt years becoming routine is concerning. Specific glaciers like Glacier de Tsanfleuron lost over four meters of average thickness, an unprecedented amount, while Switzerland's largest glacier, Aletsch Glacier, recorded its biggest-ever melt. The scientists estimate that Swiss glaciers lost approximately 2.2 trillion liters of water between July and September alone. While this meltwater temporarily eases summer water shortages, Huss cautioned that this benefit is diminishing as glaciers shrink.