The 2003 heatwave
Swiss glaciers lost 3.5% of their volume in one summer. It stood as the record until 2022.
Date2003
Volume lost3.5%
In the heatwave summer of 2003, Swiss glaciers lost 3.5% of their ice volume, the largest annual loss since detailed measurements began in the 1950s.
The record held for nineteen years. Today 2003 ranks third, behind 2022 and 2023.
Sources
Sources
- Huss, Linsbauer & Naegeli (2025). Swiss Glaciers. State, projections and significance. Swiss Academies Factsheets 20(2). doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14866776
- GLAMOS (2025). Annual mass balance of Swiss glaciers in 2024/2025. doi.glamos.ch/pubs/annualrep/annualrep_2025.pdf