Norwegian glaciers continue to retreat, the NVE warns

34 of the 36 glacier fronts measured by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) this year have retreated. Among others, the Steindalsbreen glacier in Lyngen has retreated by 45 meters during the year.

In a press release, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) states that 34 of the 36 glacier fronts that were measured have retreated. 

“In the last 20 years, all the glaciers we follow have retreated. The glacier fronts are retreating because, over time, more snow and ice have melted in the summer compared to the new amounts of snow in the winter. We see that the mass balance has been negative,” glaciologist Hallgeir Elvehøy in the NVE stated.

The mass balance of a glacier is the ratio between how much snow settles on the glacier during the winter and how much snow and ice melts in the summer.

The Steindalsbreen glacier

Among other things, the NVE has measured four glaciers in Troms og Finnmark. There, the Steindalsbreen glacier in Lyngen had the largest retreat, with 45 meters during the year, Framtid writes. In total, the Steindalsbreen glacier has retreated by 416 meters over the last 20 years.

Glacier melting during the summer was greater than normal on the glaciers in Southern Norway and Nordland but less than normal in the far north.

The NVE states that the glaciers in Norway have decreased a lot in length, area, and thickness since the year 2000 – and follow the same development as most glaciers in the rest of the world.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]