Locator: Plaine Morte Glacier, Switzerland

Scientists measuring glaciers say the ice is melting at an 'unexpected' speed

In Switzerland temperatures in August reached an average of 59.9F

making it one of the 10 warmest Augusts on record

[Matthias Huss, Professor of Glaciology, ETH Zurich]

"We lost at this position more than two meters of ice and this is a lot, especially considering that we are at the highest point of the glacier. We're not at the low lying terminus, but high up where the glacier actually should accumulate some new mass."

Glaciers around the world are being measured for evidence of global warming

In 2022, the Swiss glaciers recorded their worst melt rate since records began

"We are right now starting the end of season measurements. This is the first glacier and we're hoping to get some numbers in the next weeks. So the first trends indicate that this year (20)23 is again characterized by very strong loss. We will know exactly how much in a few weeks, but it's certainly not as extreme as in the record summer of 2022. But one of the most negative years. This is clear."