Swiss Glaciers Lose a Fifth of Their Volume in Five Years

Switzerland’s glaciers have lost about 20 percent of their volume over five years, according to a study published Thursday, highlighting the scale of ice loss in the Alps.

This year brought their second-largest annual loss since monitoring began. The decline came amid intense heat waves and a winter with little snowfall.

The combination left glaciers under pressure across the seasons. Sparse winter snow limited accumulation, while extreme summer heat accelerated melting.

Snow cover helps shield glacier ice from sunlight. When that cover is thin or disappears early, the exposed ice becomes more vulnerable to further loss.

The findings point to a rapid transformation of Switzerland’s Alpine landscape, with roughly a fifth of its glacier volume disappearing in just five years.