Glaciers in the Alps are on track for record-breaking ice loss
A series of heatwaves have hit Europe this season, including the continent’s worst-ever heatwave in June. As a result, more than 9 metres of ice have melted off the surface of the Rhône glacier. Forecasters warn temperatures could remain above average through autumn, and another heatwave is possible. If that happens, glaciers in the Alps will probably experience record ice loss this year.
Andreas Bauder and his colleagues were taking measurements on the Rhône glacier as part of ETH Zurich’s long-term monitoring of more than 100 glaciers. Extreme melt years are occurring more frequently in the Alps, unleashing devastating avalanches of ice and rock and threatening to shrink major rivers.
