ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / RankWire.AI / – In 2026, Switzerland experienced a 5.5% decrease in the volume of its glaciers, marking the country’s second-largest annual percentage loss on record. The decline followed a winter with minimal snowfall and a summer characterized by repeated heatwaves. The measurements, conducted by GLAMOS, covered the Swiss Alps during the 2026 monitoring season. The Swiss Academy of Sciences has reported that nearly 20% of the nation’s glacier mass has vanished over the past five years.
The winter of 2025 to 2026 was among Switzerland’s ten least snowy since systematic data collection began. Hot, dry conditions persisted from May through September, increasing stress on exposed glacier surfaces. The freezing level exceeded 4,000 metres on 76 days, more than double the average for the warm season. By September, researchers observed no snow remaining at elevations around 3,500 metres in the monitored zones.
During the latest observation period, the average thickness of glaciers diminished by approximately 2.5 to 4 metres. Some glaciers’ tongues lost as much as 10 metres of ice. Major glaciers such as Allalin, Clariden, Great Aletsch, and Rhône experienced their most significant melt since measurements began. The most extensive retreat was seen in 2022, which had a larger national percentage loss. This scale of ice loss impacted both high-altitude regions and lower parts of glaciers across the Alps.
Decline of Smaller Glaciers Signals Deepening Alpine Ice Retreat
During the 2026 season, several smaller glaciers, including Bella Tola in Valais and Griessfirn in Glarus, completely disappeared. Their vanishing contributes to a broader trend of ongoing ice depletion throughout Switzerland’s Alpine areas. National data indicates that glacier volume has decreased by nearly 20% since 2021. These recent reductions follow years of minimal snow accumulation and intense summer melting. Researchers have documented widespread thinning across both large glaciers and smaller ice bodies.
The melting process released approximately 2.2 trillion litres of water from July to September, which surpasses four times the annual drinking-water needs of Swiss households. This meltwater entered Alpine rivers and water systems amidst a period of widespread summer drought. The figures underscore the volume of ice that transitioned into Switzerland’s water cycle within just three months, with higher summer temperatures speeding up the seasonal melting across numerous monitored sites.
2026’s Snow Conditions Offer Slight Relief from Record Melts
Although the melt in 2026 was significant, it remained below the record level observed in 2022, when glacier conditions were even more severe. One key difference was the snow cover at the beginning of summer, with many glaciers entering the melt season with slightly more snow than in 2022. Additionally, fewer Saharan dust particles settled on the snow during 2026. Cleaner snow reflects more sunlight, while surfaces coated with darker dust absorb more solar energy.
Despite these differences, Switzerland still recorded exceptional glacier losses in 2026, affecting both high elevations and lower glacier tongues. Field surveys, snow measurements, and mass-balance observations documented changes through the end of September. The data revealed extensive ice loss, the disappearance of smaller glaciers, and significant thinning across the country. These findings place 2026 among the most severe years in the Swiss glacier measurement record, further highlighting the rapid contraction of glacier systems in recent years.