Key facts
- Swiss glaciers lost 5.5% of their ice volume in 2026.
- The 2026 melt was the second-worst on record for Swiss glaciers.
- Glaciers began the summer with less snow, increasing vulnerability to melting.
- No snow remained at 3,500 meters elevation by the end of summer.
- An estimated 2.2 trillion liters of meltwater were released between July and September 2026.
- Shrinking glaciers risk destabilizing mountain slopes and increasing landslide potential.
Swiss glaciers experienced near-record ice loss in 2026, with 5.5% of their volume melting due to a combination of insufficient winter snow and intense summer heatwaves. Scientists described the situation as 'disastrous,' noting that while rapid melting is expected in a warming climate, the pace is alarming.
Glaciers started the summer with less snow than usual, leaving them vulnerable to melting. Even at elevations as high as 3,500 meters, scientists found no snow remaining at the end of summer, indicating a critical loss of 'glacier food.' This lack of snow means glaciers cannot replenish ice lost at lower elevations, leading to a shrinking and eventual disappearance of many ice bodies.
The 2.2 trillion liters of meltwater released between July and September 2026 temporarily eased water shortages for farming, hydropower, and transport, but scientists warn this is unsustainable. Matthias Huss, a glaciologist at ETH Zürich and lead author of the report, stated that this 'old water' is helping now but will not be available in future heatwaves. The shrinking glaciers also risk destabilizing mountain slopes and increasing landslide potential.
Scientists emphasize that significant cuts to carbon emissions are crucial to save remaining glacier ice globally, particularly in the Himalayas and polar regions, to mitigate global sea-level rise.