Swiss Glaciers Start Summer with Low Snowpack
16th May 2025
Last modified on May 21st, 2025
There was 13% less snow last winter than the annual average. It bodes badly for the summer glacier melt.
The snow volumes on the 21 glaciers surveyed by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network, Glamos, were between 0-52% below the reference value.
According to the evaluation, a weather-related north-south trend was recognisable.
On the glaciers in north-east Switzerland in particular, the amount of snow was well below average at the time of measurement in April and May.
The Silvretta glacier in Graubunden reached a new low with a deficit of 52%.
In Ticino and southern Valais, on the other hand, the values were close to or slightly below the reference value, according to the report.
Mont Fort glacier, Verbier. Image © PlanetSKI
The glacier monitoring network attributes this to the exceptional snowfall in mid-April.
The Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network has been measuring the amount of snow on a number of glaciers every spring for several years.
These measurements make it possible to estimate the upcoming melting season.
Related Articles:
- Swiss glaciers lose 10% of volume in past 2 years
- Austrian Alpine Club calls for urgent action to protect glaciers
- Threat to Italian glaciers increases
- Austrian glaciers likely to melt by end of the century
- Covering glaciers: An expensive way of preventing the ice melting
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