Switzerland’s glaciers lose a significant share of their ice in 2026, with reported losses of more than 5% of total ice volume. Researchers monitoring Swiss glaciers say the melt is tied to an extreme heat season and unusually low winter snow, which leaves less ice to buffer summer temperatures.
Across outlets, experts describe 2026 as the second-biggest annual loss in the available records. While melt rates do not surpass the record levels seen in 2022, glacier thickness still drops sharply. One report cites average thinning of roughly 2.5 to 4 meters (8 to 13 feet) during the year, with some glacier tongues losing as much as 10 meters (33 feet).
The sources largely align on the main drivers—hot weather and reduced snowfall—and on the scale of ice loss, but they differ slightly in the exact figure used (about 5% versus 5.5%) and in the emphasis on whether the year’s melt matches the 2022 peak. The findings are based on glacier monitoring and are published through Swiss research organizations referenced by the reporting.
