Swiss glaciers 1850–2100

Glacier de Saleinaz

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 6.69km² Area in 2016 · ±0% compared with 2016
Area 20166.69km²30th largest
Elevation1,851–3,880mmedian 3,031 m
Length6.5kmfaces north-east
1850 ice body9.7km²now 3 glaciers
Tongue since 1878−1,209m131 measurements
Thinning 1982–2023−25maverage surface lowering
Ice left in 21002%of 2020 volume, SSP2-4.5

Glacier de Saleinaz is the 30th-largest glacier in Switzerland, covering 6.69 km² in the canton of Valais. Its ice spans 1,851 to 3,880 m and faces north-east. Its meltwater drains to the Rhône and on to the Mediterranean. In 1850 it was part of a larger ice body of 9.7 km², which has since split into 3 glaciers covering 6.9 km² in 2016 (−29%). Its tongue has been measured 131 times since 1878. In total it has retreated 1,209 m, about 8.3 m a year. Between 1982 and 2023 its surface dropped by 25 m on average. With strong climate protection (SSP1-2.6), about 6% of its 2020 ice would remain in 2100. With very high emissions (SSP5-8.5) it would be gone around 2068. Its meltwater peaked around 2023.

Future

What remains in 2100

SSP1-2.6 · low emissions6%23% left in 2050
SSP2-4.5 · intermediate emissions2%19% left in 2050
SSP3-7.0 · high emissionsGoneIce gone around 2086
SSP5-8.5 · very high emissionsGoneIce gone around 2068
SSP1-2.6SSP2-4.5SSP3-7.0SSP5-8.5
0%25%50%75%100%202020402060208021006%2%0%0%
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

01020304020102030205020702090
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

Length change since 1878

Position of the glacier tongue, measured in the field almost every year. Hover for each measurement.

−1,250 m−1,000 m−750 m−500 m−250 m0 m190019251950197520002025−1,209 m
GLAMOS Swiss Glacier Length Change, release 2025.

Thinning since 1982

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

−25 m−20 m−15 m−10 m−5 m0 m1990200020102020−25 m
GLAMOS Swiss Glacier Volume Change, release 2025.
Profile

Facts

Area over time

18509.68 km²19318.93 km²19737.77 km²20166.69 km²2050 · SSP2-4.54.15 km²2100 · SSP2-4.50.35 km²

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

SGI id
B85-16
Canton
Valais
River
Rhône → Mediterranean
Basin
Dranse
Location
45.9696° N, 7.0329° E · swisstopo map
Elevation
1,851–3,880 m, median 3,031 m
Slope, aspect
20°, north-east
Debris cover
0.39 km² (6% of the area)
Inventory image
2016
Ice volume (model)
≈ 0.292 km³ in 2020 (OGGM)
RGI ids
RGI60-11.02793
In 1850 joined with
Suzanne, Glacier des Plines
Nearby

More in the Dranse 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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