Significant glacier loss in Swiss Alps over decades

NASA recently released satellite images showing significant glacier loss in the Swiss Alps. The images compare views of the Great Aletsch Glacier taken in 1984 and 2024. Over the last 40 years, the glacier has retreated more than 4,300 feet, or about 1,300 meters. Along with its shrinking size, the glacier has thinned by roughly 141 feet, or 43 meters, according to data from the Swiss Glacial Monitoring Network. The 2024 image reveals grayish-brown rock where ice used to dominate, indicating severe melting. Even though some snow covers the glacier, the loss of ice is quite evident. This retreat is not isolated to just one glacier. Other nearby glaciers, like the Oberaletsch and Fiescher, have also shown considerable melting. The Oberaletsch glacier has shrunk over 787 feet since 1984, while the Fiescher Glacier has lost around 3,281 feet in the same period. In 2024, Swiss glaciers experienced a loss of 2.5% of their volume, despite heavy snowfall during the winter. This snowfall was not enough to offset the effects of a warm summer, which contributed to the rapid melting. Research shows that Central Europe, including Switzerland, has lost 39% of its glacial ice from 2000 to 2024. The satellite imagery highlights the urgent issue of climate change and its impact on glaciers. After a record warm February, there are concerns that future images will continue to show more glacier losses as temperatures rise.