Swiss glaciers 1850–2100

Dent Blanche SW

IceIce lost since 1850This glacier

Past extents come from the Swiss Glacier Inventories of 1850, 1931, 1973 and 2016. Future extents are illustrative: each glacier’s projected area (OGGM, median of CMIP6 climate models) is removed from its lowest ice upward. About the scenarios.

Inventory 0.692km² Area in 2016 · ±0% compared with 2016
Area 20160.69km²212th largest
Elevation2,891–3,901mmedian 3,437 m
Length2.3kmfaces west
1850 ice body14.3km²now 3 glaciers
Thinning 1985–2023−12maverage surface lowering
Ice left in 210037%of 2020 volume, SSP2-4.5

Dent Blanche SW is one of 1,400 glaciers in Switzerland, covering 0.69 km² in the canton of Valais. Its ice spans 2,891 to 3,901 m and faces west. Its meltwater drains to the Rhône and on to the Mediterranean. In 1850 it was part of a larger ice body of 14.3 km², which has since split into 3 glaciers covering 10.7 km² in 2016 (−25%). Between 1985 and 2023 its surface dropped by 12 m on average. With strong climate protection (SSP1-2.6), about 52% of its 2020 ice would remain in 2100. With very high emissions (SSP5-8.5), 30% would remain. Its meltwater peaked around 2020.

Future

What remains in 2100

SSP1-2.6 · low emissions52%58% left in 2050
SSP2-4.5 · intermediate emissions37%57% left in 2050
SSP3-7.0 · high emissions32%54% left in 2050
SSP5-8.5 · very high emissions30%45% left in 2050
SSP1-2.6SSP2-4.5SSP3-7.0SSP5-8.5
0%25%50%75%100%2020204020602080210052%37%32%30%
Ice volume as a share of 2020, median of 14 climate models; shaded: middle two-thirds of models. OGGM v1.6.

Meltwater

Million m³ of water per year, 11-year mean

00.51.01.52.020102030205020702090
Water leaving the glacier area each year: ice melt, snowmelt and rain. It rises while the glacier melts faster, then falls as the ice runs out: “peak water”.
Measured

The record

Thinning since 1985

Average change in surface height, from comparing elevation models made from maps, aerial images and laser scans.

−12 m−10 m−8 m−5 m−2 m0 m1990200020102020−12 m
GLAMOS Swiss Glacier Volume Change, release 2025.
Profile

Facts

Area over time

185014.267 km²193113.016 km²19730.746 km²20160.692 km²2050 · SSP2-4.50.329 km²2100 · SSP2-4.50.097 km²

Past areas are the ice body this glacier belonged to at the time. Projections: OGGM median, SSP2-4.5.

SGI id
B72-09
Canton
Valais
River
Rhône → Mediterranean
Basin
Hérens & Nendaz
Location
46.0270° N, 7.6040° E · swisstopo map
Elevation
2,891–3,901 m, median 3,437 m
Slope, aspect
28°, west
Debris cover
0.10 km² (14% of the area)
Inventory image
2016
Ice volume (model)
≈ 0.023 km³ in 2020 (OGGM)
RGI ids
RGI60-11.02730
In 1850 joined with
Glacier des Manzettes, Glacier de Ferpècle
Nearby

More in the Hérens & Nendaz basin

All glaciers in this basin →

Sources

Sources

  1. Linsbauer et al. (2021). The new Swiss Glacier Inventory SGI2016. Frontiers in Earth Science 9. doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.704189
  2. Mannerfelt et al. (2022). Halving of Swiss glacier volume since 1931 observed from terrestrial image photogrammetry. The Cryosphere 16. doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3249-2022
  3. GLAMOS – Glacier Monitoring Switzerland. www.glamos.ch
  4. Zekollari et al. (2024). Twenty-first century global glacier evolution under CMIP6 scenarios and the role of glacier-specific observations. The Cryosphere 18 (OGGM v1.6 projections). tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/5045/2024/

Relief: swisstopo swissALTIRegio. 1850 and 1973 outlines: Maisch et al. (2000), Müller et al. (1976), Paul (2004). Length, mass balance and volume change: GLAMOS releases 2025. All sources and methods.

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