ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Switzerland’s glaciers experienced a 5.5% reduction in ice volume, marking the second-largest annual decline ever recorded. This significant retreat followed a winter with limited snowfall and a summer marked by multiple heatwaves. Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, known as GLAMOS, documented the losses across the Swiss Alps during the 2026 season. The Swiss Academy of Sciences reported that nearly 20% of the country’s glacier volume has vanished over the past five years.
The winter of 2025 to 2026 ranked among Switzerland’s 10 least snowy winters since measurements began systematically. Hot and dry weather continued from May through September, increasing stress on exposed glacier surfaces. The freezing level rose above 4,000 metres on 76 days, more than double the seasonal average. By September, researchers found no snow remaining at elevations around 3,500 metres in monitored regions.
During this period, glaciers thinned by roughly 2.5 to 4 metres on average. Some glacier tongues lost as much as 10 metres of ice. Major glaciers such as Allalin, Clariden, Great Aletsch, and Rhône reported their most extensive melt since records started. Only 2022 saw a larger percentage loss in Switzerland’s glacier history. The retreat impacted both high-altitude ice and lower glacier sections across the Alps.
Smaller glaciers vanish as Alpine ice diminishes further
In 2026, several smaller glaciers completely disappeared. Examples include Bella Tola in Valais and Griessfirn in Glarus. Their disappearance continues a pattern of ongoing ice loss across Switzerland’s Alpine areas. Measurements indicate glacier volume has decreased by nearly 20% since 2021. The recent shrinkage followed multiple years of low snowfall and intense summer melting. Researchers observed widespread thinning across both large glaciers and smaller ice bodies.
Between July and September, glacier melt released about 2.2 trillion litres of water. This volume surpassed four times the annual drinking-water needs of Swiss households. The meltwater flowed into Alpine rivers amid widespread summer dryness. The figures illustrate the amount of ice that entered Switzerland’s water cycle in just three months. Elevated summer temperatures sped up the seasonal ice loss at many sites monitored.
2026’s snow cover saved some glaciers from reaching record melt levels
The losses in 2026 stayed below the record melt seen in 2022, when conditions were even more extreme. One factor was the snow cover at the start of summer. Many glaciers began the melt season with slightly more snow than in 2022. There was also less Saharan dust settling on the snow in 2026. Cleaner snow reflects more sunlight, whereas dust-covered surfaces absorb more solar energy.
Despite these differences, Switzerland experienced remarkable glacier losses across both high elevations and lower sections in 2026. Field surveys, snow measurements, and mass-balance observations documented widespread changes through September’s end. The data showed significant ice loss, the disappearance of smaller glaciers, and substantial thickness reductions. 2026 ranks among the most severe years in the Swiss glacier record. The recent decline underscores the sharp contraction of glaciers in recent years, adding to the ongoing climate impacts.