Swiss glaciers 1850–2100

2017

90 of 92 measured glacier tongues retreated. Swiss glaciers lost 3.0% of their volume.

Glaciers measured92single-year length change
Advancing11%
Retreating9098%
Median change−16.8m
Swiss ice volume−3.0%change over the year
Mass balance−1.51m w.e.mean of 29 glaciers
Events

What happened

2017
culture

The Dumoulins come home

A couple who vanished in 1942 was found in the retreating Tsanfleuron Glacier, 75 years later.

2017
rockfall

Piz Cengalo and Bondo

Three million m³ of rock fell on a small glacier, took its ice with it and turned into a debris flow that reached the village of Bondo.

2017
collapse

A predicted collapse

Radar showed the Trift Glacier on the Weissmies speeding up to 2 m a day. The village was evacuated, and the ice fell the next morning.

Length change

92 tongues measured

GlacierCantonChange
TiefengletscherUri−620 m
Glacier de FerpècleValais−152 m
Grosser AletschgletscherValais−80.4 m
Glacier du Mont DurandValais−54 m
Glacier de ValsoreyValais−45.8 m
Turtmanngletscher zentralValais−42.2 m
Schwarzberggletscher zentralValais−40.4 m
Glacier d'Otemma zentralValais−39.4 m
LanggletscherValais−38 m
Glacier du TrientValais−38 m
Glacier du BrenayValais−37 m
FindelgletscherValais−36.5 m
RhonegletscherValais−36 m
Vadrec del FornoGraubünden−31.4 m
GlärnischfirnGlarus−31.3 m
GriesgletscherValais−31 m
GornergletscherValais−31 m
Vadret da TschiervaGraubünden−30.7 m
GamchigletscherBern−30 m
Glatscher da PuntegliasGraubünden−27.8 m
Grand DésertValais−26.8 m
Glacier du Mont Miné zentralValais−25.6 m
SteigletscherBern−25.5 m
Glacier de Moiry zentralValais−25 m
DammagletscherUri−23.5 m
Bas Glacier d'ArollaValais−22 m
Glacier de CheilonValais−22 m
Glacier de BoveireValais−21.9 m
LäntagletscherGraubünden−21.7 m
ParadiesgletscherGraubünden−21.1 m
BlüemlisalpgletscherBern−21 m
Vadret CalderasGraubünden−20.8 m
Vadret da SesvennaGraubünden−20.3 m
Vadret da MorteratschGraubünden−20.2 m
Glacier de TsanfleuronValais−18.9 m
Vadrecc di BrescianaTicino−18.9 m
Kanderfirn NBern−18.3 m
Griessgletscher (Unterschächen)Uri−18 m
WildstrubelgletscherValais−18 m
WallenburfirnUri−17.5 m
Glacier de CorbassièreValais−17.2 m
Feegletscher zentralValais−17 m
SilvrettagletscherGraubünden−16.8 m
Glacier du GiétroValais−16.8 m
Ghiacciaio di ValleggiaTicino−16.8 m
UnteraargletscherBern−16.7 m
ChelengletscherUri−16.3 m
Unterer GrindelwaldgletscherBern−16.3 m
OberaargletscherBern−15.9 m
LimmerngletscherGlarus−15.6 m
Glacier de Tortin zentralValais−15.4 m
Glacier de Tsijiore Nouve zentralValais−15.2 m
Glacier du BrenayValais−15.1 m
Vadret da Porchabella WGraubünden−14.8 m
PlattalvaGlarus−14.6 m
Ghiacciaio del CavagnööTicino−14.3 m
Surettagletscher WGraubünden−14 m
Vadret da RosegGraubünden−13.8 m
VerstanclagletscherGraubünden−13.7 m
SeewjinengletscherValais−13.6 m
EigergletscherBern−13.4 m
AllalingletscherValais−13.4 m
Rotfirngletscher NUri−13 m
Glacier de SaleinazValais−12.5 m
Vadret da PalüGraubünden−12.2 m
Grand Plan NévéVaud−11.6 m
Ghiacciaio del CornoTicino−11.4 m
BifertengletscherGlarus−11.3 m
Glacier de ZinalValais−10 m
Gältegletscher SWBern−9 m
ChaltwassergletscherValais−9 m
Glacier du Sex RougeVaud−8.9 m
HohlaubgletscherValais−8.9 m
Glacier de la Plaine MorteBern−8.8 m
Glacier du TseudetValais−8.1 m
St. AnnafirnUri−7.5 m
SteilimigletscherBern−7 m
Glacier de Moming zentralValais−6.3 m
Ghiacciaio del BasòdinoTicino−6.1 m
Glacier du Prapio NVaud−6 m
RiedgletscherValais−6 m
Ghiacciaio Grande di CroslinaTicino−5.5 m
Hinter SulzfirngletscherGlarus−5.2 m
VorabgletscherGraubünden−5 m
Glacier de PaneirosseVaud−4.6 m
Chessjengletscher SEValais−3.6 m
Ammertegletscher EBern−3.1 m
Tschingelfirn S (Kandersteg)Bern−2.5 m
BrunnifirnUri−0.9 m
TriftgletscherBern0 m
Oberer GrindelwaldgletscherBern+1.3 m
Mass balance

29 glaciers

GlacierAnnual balance
Glacier du Sex Rouge−2.44 m w.e.
Glacier de la Plaine Morte−2.27 m w.e.
Grosser Aletschgletscher−2.21 m w.e.
Glacier de Tsanfleuron−2.10 m w.e.
Griesgletscher−2.04 m w.e.
Jörigletscher−2.00 m w.e.
Oberaargletscher−1.99 m w.e.
Vadret dal Corvatsch S−1.89 m w.e.
Tiefengletscher−1.86 m w.e.
Glacier du Giétro−1.71 m w.e.
Glatscher da Medel E−1.65 m w.e.
Pizolgletscher−1.59 m w.e.
Schwarzwasserfirn−1.57 m w.e.
Allalingletscher−1.53 m w.e.
Hohlaubgletscher−1.52 m w.e.
Glacier de Tortin zentral−1.46 m w.e.
Silvrettagletscher−1.44 m w.e.
Schwarzberggletscher zentral−1.41 m w.e.
Glacier de Corbassière−1.36 m w.e.
Vadret dal Murtèl−1.31 m w.e.
Ghiacciaio del Basòdino−1.28 m w.e.
Rhonegletscher−1.19 m w.e.
St. Annafirn−1.14 m w.e.
Claridenfirn−1.09 m w.e.
Feegletscher−0.97 m w.e.
Adlergletscher−0.95 m w.e.
Findelgletscher−0.94 m w.e.
E22-16−0.92 m w.e.
Mont Collon N 1+0.01 m w.e.
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