Triglav glacier in Slovenia expected to disappear within days

One of Slovenia’s last remaining glaciers, located on Mount Triglav, is expected to disappear completely within days due to accelerating climate change. Researchers from the Anton Melik Geographical Institute have been monitoring the glacier since 1946, when it covered approximately 14 hectares.

Miha Pavšek, who has studied the glacier for 30 years, stated that all signs indicate the final remnants of ice will vanish shortly. The glacier has ceased to function as a true glacier in recent years because it no longer accumulates or moves new ice. This decline was exacerbated by a winter with below-average snowfall and an unusually early spring melt, leaving the remaining ice exposed to summer temperatures for longer periods.

The loss of glaciers is a broader trend across Europe, which is warming faster than any other continent. Scientists warn that the melting of glaciers in neighboring Austria could eventually reduce water runoff in the Drava and Mur river basins, which are critical for irrigation in Slovenian agricultural regions such as Ptuj.