Matthias Huss

Stories

Swiss glaciers lose 5% of volume after record heatwaves

As of October 2026: Leading the monitoring effort

Swiss glaciers lost more than 5% of their remaining ice in 2026, the second-worst melt year on record. A low-snow winter left glaciers exposed, and summer heatwaves pushed the freezing point above 4,000 metres for 76 days.

Updated Oct 3

Notable Quotes

Every drop of water that runs off during these heatwaves is kind of old water that's been stocked in the glacier ice centuries or decades ago.

from Swiss glaciers lose 5% of volume after record heatwaves · Updated Oct 3

We can clearly attribute the massive ice loss to the warming, and thus anthropogenic climate change.

from Swiss glaciers lose 5% of volume after record heatwaves · Updated Oct 3

Water supply will become more variable – especially less water during hot and dry periods. Even though over one year there's not necessarily much less water in the rivers, this increased variability will pose a major challenge to water management.

from Swiss glaciers lose 5% of volume after record heatwaves · Updated Oct 3