Swiss Glaciers Reach Critical Threshold: Snowpack Depleted, Bare Ice Now at Risk

Swiss glaciers exhausted their seasonal snowpack on June 29, hitting a structural inflection point. From now until autumn, meltwater erodes permanent ice rather than protective snow. The timing is stark: bare ice absorbs more solar radiation, exposing it to July and August heat. This follows a 3% volume loss in 2025—recovery requires decades under current climate trends.