Rhône Glacier in Switzerland loses four meters of ice in a month

The Rhône Glacier in southern Switzerland has melted more than four metres of ice over the past month, with measurements showing an average loss of about 10 centimetres per day since mid‑June. The rapid retreat follows successive heat waves across Europe and unusually low winter snowfall, which left the ice exposed and vulnerable.

Glaciologists from the Swiss glacier monitoring service GLAMOS, led by Matthias Huss, note that melt is occurring not only on the surface but also from beneath, where meltwater has carved large cavities that weaken the glacier’s structure. Huss warned that, at the current rate, the lower sections of the glacier could disappear within five to ten years, potentially matching the record losses recorded in 2022.