twenty second June 2026
The glacier resorts which have some slopes open are struggling with summer season glacier soften accelerating. NEW
It’s the second heatwave to hit the Alps to date this summer season with extra predicted.
The French resort of Tignes opened its Grande Motte glacier for summer season snowboarding and snowboarding final weekend and it’s already struggling.
The resort claims a snow depth of 100cm on the glacier, however some will soften within the present heatwave.
The glacier itself is 40m thick however it’s feared this may occasionally all have gone within the subsequent decade.
In keeping with Clément Colin, CEO of Altta, the brand new firm managing the ski lifts in Tignes, “in ten years, the glacier can have nearly utterly melted.”
In Switzerland Degree 3 and 4 warmth warnings issued by the federal government are set to stay in place till Tuesday, in line with the meteorological service MeteoSwiss.
“In the meanwhile, nonetheless, it seems to be as if we must lengthen the warmth warning past Tuesday,” mentioned MeteoSwiss.
There have been a number of heatwaves in Switzerland lasting a number of days in June within the latest previous.
These embrace 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2025.
The primary heatwave in Could hit the glaciers exhausting, although it got here after good Spring snowfall.
The rising temperatures are being pushed by scorching air transferring north from the Sahara desert in Africa.
This traps scorching air over the affected areas, with forecasters suggesting the situations might lead to one of many longest heatwaves in recent times.
Scientists have mentioned that recurring heatwaves are a marker of worldwide warming.
Météo-France notes that of the 51 heatwaves recorded in France since 1947, 34 have taken place since 2000 and 26 since 2011.
The Alps and the Pyrenees are affected.
See our associated article on the place snowboarding and snowboarding is on supply this summer season:
Summer season snowboarding in Val d’Isere. Picture © Olivia Angus/PlanetSKI
Right here at PlanetSKI we will likely be updating shortly as soon as the influence of the heatwave turns into clearer on the presently open glacier ski areas.
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