The glaciers decreased in 2018

Norwegian Glacier Museum & Ulltveit-Moe climate centre measures the front position of two glaciers in Jostedalsbreen National Park. The measurements show that they are retreating in 2018.

The front of Vetle Supphellebreen Glacier October 11, 2018.

Front position measurements

After advancing over the last three years, Vetle Supphellebreen Glacier was to retreat in 2018. The result was -6 meters. Ever since Norwegian Glacier Museum resumed measurements in 2011, the glacier has remained relatively stable in terms of its frontal position. The glacier was also monitored in the period 1899-1944 and retreated almost 450 meters back then.

Haugabreen Glacier in early October 2018.

The second glacier to have its front position measured is Haugabreen Glacier in Jølster. It shrank by 16 meters in 2018, and has retreated a total of 69 meters since we started measuring the glacier in 2013. In recent years, more and more water has appeared around the front of the glacier. In the long term, it may be difficult to get up onto the glacier without getting wet shoes for those going on glacier walks.

Bøyabreen Glacier on October 1, 2018.

In addition, the more well-known glacier arms, Bøyabreen and Store Supphellebreen, are also monitored by taking photographs every year. Glacier melting makes front position measurements difficult to carry out, but photographing the glaciers means that we can still document their development.

More information about front position measurements and others Glacier measurements, is available on NVE's glacier data website. There you can read that the glaciers in Norway decreased significantly in 2018, for example, Engabreen in Nordland retreated a full 140 meters and Nigardsbreen melted 81 meters.

Glaciers and climate

The warm summer hit the Jostedalsbreen glacier's snow and ice masses hard in 2018. Since advancing in the late 1990s, the glaciers have been retreating for over 20 years. This is part of the long-term trend of shrinking glaciers in an increasingly warmer climate. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2018 is set to be one of the warmest years ever recorded on the planet since temperature measurements began in the mid-19th century.

Glaciers are, among other things, our most important water reservoir. As much as 70% of all fresh water on earth is stored in the form of ice, and glaciers thus provide a stable water supply for many people. Glaciers around the world are also one of our best climate archives.