Glacier Change

Length change measurements since 1930. In total, Sólheimajökull has lost 2 km since then.

View point in front of Sólheimajökull.

Prehistoric moraine high above Sólheimajökull.

Snout and expanding proglacial lake of Sólheimajökull.

Sólheimajökull is one of Iceland's best accessible glaciers. For many it's a must-see on their visit, in part feeling it could be their 'Last Chance' to see it. Though this exciting glacier won't disappear thát fast, things aren't looking good. Still, plenty to see:
glacierchange.com/en/solheimaj...

And the bottom sample even >6800 years old, wow. Impressive record on top of an equally impressive mountain.

Thanks for all the updates! I quickly made a page myself, to be continued... glacierchange.com/en/birchglac...

normous icebergs on Mýrdalssandur after the 1918 Katlahlaup. Photographer: Kjartan Guðmundsson.

The story on Kötlujökull (Iceland) is now improved and updated. Quite the glacier, as it covers Katla volcano and their interplay causes the world's most powerful outburst floods or Katlahlaups, which leave icebergs up to 60 m high stranded on the outwash plain. See glacierchange.com/en/kotlujoku...

https://whiterisk.ch/en/conditions/snow-maps/comparative_snow_depth

Big turnaround for glaciers in (especially) Valais. From very little snow to (much) above-average snow cover within three days. Bortelsee (2517 m), on the Swiss-Italian, even had 258 cm of fresh snow in just three days! Good news for the glaciers, now the sun is getting stronger. Image: whiterisk.ch

He sure made beautiful paintings, and what a timing! A very characteristic style, see for example Untersulzbachkees (glacierchange.com/en/untersulz...)

Another eruption occured yesterday in Reykjanes Peninsula, but the mother of all Icelandic volcanoes (Katla) has been quiet since 1918. However, its tephra is still melting out from Mýrdalsjökull. Resurfacing tephra reveals melt rates of Sléttjökull, see glacierchange.com/en/slettjoku...

Dead ice melting below a thick cover of debris.

Fiesch Glacier

Retreat of Fiesch Glacier from 1908 to 2024.

Today is #WorldGlacierDay. Let's work on their preservation. In the case of Fiesch Glacier, local people even pray to stop its retreat. They also use meltwater for irrigation, illustrating the close relationship between people and glaciers. See glacierchange.com/en/fieschgla.... btw: Story no. 100!

Also note the change at neighboring Fiesch Glacier, which happens to be story number 100 on my site and published today! Interesting history, intertwined with local (agri)culture.
glacierchange.com/en/fieschgla...

Subsidiary moraine ridges to the north of Findel Glacier, accentuated by their snowy distal slope.

Drawing of Findel Glacier by Agassiz (1840).

1839: among scientists, the revolutionary theory that glaciers once covered vast expanses of Europe is gaining momentum. Pioneers went into the Alps (and Findel Glacier) to substantiate their theory, but their findings didn't surprise the local guide at all. Curious? glacierchange.com/findelglacier/

Sauabrehytta with Sauabreen in the background

Ever heard of Sauabreen? This nondescript glacier in SE Folgefonna (Norway) once afflicted a hamlet, as it caused outburst floods. Therefore the community decided to move in 1962. Due to glacier retreat the ice-dammed lake disappeared in 2016. Safer, but duller. glacierchange.com/en/sauabreen/

Rembesdalskåka

Rembesdalskåka

Ramnabergbreen

Rembesdalskåka

Climate change is killing Hardangerjøkulen, starting with its outlets. Two of them, Ramnabergbreen and Rembesdalskåka, have now been added to the site. Both stories are all about lakes: the former retreats out of one, the latter dams another. Check glacierchange.com/en/norway/ (bottom page).

Orthophotos of Erdalsbreen from 2017 and 2024, showing its retreat out of a proglacial lake.

New orthophotos of Jostedalsbreen have just been released at norgeibilder.no, the first update of the ice cap since 2017. See for yourself how glaciers have retreated in the last 7 years. Erdalsbreen, for example, retreated out of a lake. More about that glacier at glacierchange.com/en/erdalsbre...

What a spectaculair island. Seems like other glaciers could uncover lagoons as well, starting with Fiftyone and Vahsel. Crazy to realize Heard Island (S) is at the same latitude as The Netherlands (N).

Yet another glacier added, this time Blåisen (Hardangerjøkulen). Here, scientists found radioactive lemmings and discovered an 8200 year old 'cold spell'. A lot to discover at this relativerly small glacier. glacierchange.com/en/blaisen/ (zoals altijd ook in het Nederlands) #glaciers2025

Thanks! Too bad I arrived there at sunset and had to catch the train, so no time for better pictures. And the drone had a hard time fighting the catabatic-like winds! Good thing there are DEM's! Other outlets of Hardangerjøkulen will follow.

Front view of Midtdalsbreen with flutings.

Snout of Midtdalsbreen.

Shaded relief map of Midtdalsbreen's forefield reveals minor morains; ridges of max 1 m high and 2-3 m wide.

In Norway, no glacier is closer to a train station than Midtdalsbreen (Hardangerjøkulen). Only 5 km seperate the glacier's flutes and moraines from the railway platform. But the walk is getting longer every year and the glacier itself slows down. Meet the glacier at glacierchange.com/en/midtdalsb...

Flatbrehytta overlooks Fjærlandsfjorden

Flatbreen, the crevassed middle part of Supphellebreen

Drone view of the top of the highly crevassed ice avalanche of Supphellebreen.

Today, The UN kicks off the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation. For some glaciers it's too little too late, but what about Supphellebreen? This Norwegian glaciers sparks floods due to melt, one of the focus areas of the Year of Glaciers. See glacierchange.com/en/supphelle...

#Glaciers2025

Bøyabreen is a glacier in Norway that has attracted visitors since the early days of tourism, further helped by the construction of two tunnels and the Norwegian Glacier Museum in 1991. But is this melting glacier still worth a visit? See glacierchange.com/en/boyabreen/ for its 'brand new' history.

The other two monitored ice caps in Iceland, Hofsökull and Langjökull, did even worse and lost 1 m of their thickness or about 0.8 km3 of ice each. And all this in an anomalously cold year (see graph, data from vedur.is). That's how far glaciers are out of balance with their climate.

Mass loss of Vatnajøkull ice cap in Iceland. Despite a cold year, the ice cap lost mass.

Over 2024, Iceland (Reykjavik) had the lowest average temperature since 1995. Nevertheless, new data show mass loss for all main ice caps (though less than last year). How come? A cold winter means little snow, so glaciers didn't benefit.

Graph: mass balance Vatnajökull, tinyurl.com/4f93uk57

Myklebustbreen ice cap just west of Jostedalsbreen is ten times smaller than the latter, but has a beautiful outlet glacier: Haugabreen. The surrounding landscape tells about the glacier's history.

Read all about it at glacierchange.com/en/haugabreen/ or glacierchange.com/nl/haugabree... (NL)

Photos of Brenndalsbreen in 1869 and 2024, showing its retreat into Brenndalen valley.

Norwegian glaciers advanced rapidly in the first half of the 18th century, wreaking havoc on local farmer communities. Brenndalsbreen was one of the most devastating glaciers. Its violent history, subsequent retreat and beautiful features can now be discovered at glacierchange.com/en/brenndals...

That's exactly what I'm trýing to do! Really appreciate your kind words.

Arolla Glacier - Glacier Change Arolla Glacier was a glacier in Val d'Hérens. Its two tributaries splitted and are now called Bas (lower) and Haut (upper) Glacier d'Arolla.

Thanks for your paper. I made grateful use of it for a story about the glacier (glacierchange.com/en/arolla-gl...). Keep up the good work!

Hartelijk dank voor de lovende woorden en de aandacht. Prompt een account aangemaakt!

Nieuw verhaal op glacierchange: de Kjenndalsbreen. Lees over het wel en wee van deze grotendeels verdwenen gletsjer in Noorwegen op glacierchange.com/nl/kjenndals...