ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / RankWire.AI / – Switzerland’s glaciers experienced a reduction of 5.5% in their ice volume in 2026, marking the second-largest decline ever recorded. This decrease was driven by a winter with remarkably little snowfall coupled with a summer characterized by extreme heat. Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, known as GLAMOS, compiled data on the changes across the Swiss Alps. The Swiss Academy of Sciences also confirmed the national results. Over the past five years, nearly 20% of Switzerland’s glacier volume has vanished.
The winter of 2025 to 2026 was among Switzerland’s ten least snowy winters since records began. Hot and dry conditions persisted from May through September, with the freezing level surpassing 4,000 metres on 76 days during the warm season. This figure more than doubled the usual average and set a Swiss record. By September, researchers observed no remaining snow at elevations around 3,500 metres, exposing glacier ice across high Alpine regions.
During the 2026 measurement period, the average thickness of glaciers decreased by between 2.5 and 4 metres. Certain glacier tongues experienced ice loss of up to 10 metres. Several key glaciers, including the Allalin, Clariden, Great Aletsch, and Rhône, recorded their highest melt since measurements started. These losses positioned 2026 just behind 2022, which remains the year with the most intense glacier melt in Switzerland’s recorded history.
Decline of Smaller Swiss Glaciers Accelerates
Complete disappearance was observed for several smaller glaciers during the latest monitoring cycle. Among them were Bella Tola in Valais and Griessfirn in Glarus. Their vanishing continues a broader trend of glacier reduction across Switzerland’s Alpine ice fields. Data indicates that glacier volume has decreased by nearly 20% since 2021. This cumulative decline coincides with multiple years of low snowfall and intense summer melting across much of the Swiss Alps.
The melting process during the dry summer months also released vast amounts of water. Between July and September, glaciers lost approximately 2.2 trillion litres of water, an amount that exceeds four times the annual drinking-water use of all Swiss households. This meltwater fed into Alpine rivers and other water systems amidst widespread summer drought, highlighting how much glacier ice entered Switzerland’s hydrological cycle during just three months of 2026.
Climate Conditions Shaped the 2026 Melting Season
Although 2026 did not match the record melt of 2022, it still saw significant glacier retreat. Snow conditions played a role in the variation between these two extreme years. Many glaciers started the summer with slightly more snow than in 2022. Additionally, fewer Saharan dust particles settled on the snow surface, which helped reflect sunlight more effectively, unlike dust-darkened snow that absorbs more solar energy and accelerates melting under similar conditions.
Despite these differences, the 2026 season recorded extraordinary ice loss across both high-altitude zones and lower glacier tongues. This season added another chapter to Switzerland’s extensive glacier history. Field surveys, snow measurements, and glacier mass-balance observations documented widespread ice depletion, disappearance of smaller glaciers, and significant thickness reductions. These findings confirm 2026 as one of the most severe years for Swiss glacier melting on record.