Extreme Heatwave in the Central Andes Accelerates the Melting of Glaciers

News Briefing: 13 June 2022

An intense heatwave earlier this year removed more than 90% of the snow cover in the central Andes, accelerating glacier melt for several months. The Andes are typically covered in a thick layer of snow for much of the local summer months. Snow insulates the glacial ice underneath, blocking it from the sun and shielding it from warm winds. This snow cover across the Andes normally recedes slowly during the summer before thickening again in the winter. This year, an unexpected heatwave swept through Argentina and Chile during the beginning of the summer, stripping the mountains of their snow very early in the season. The loss of this protective layer increased the vulnerability of glaciers to rapid and prolonged melt. As global temperatures rise, the projected increasing frequency of similar heatwaves is expected to accelerate the loss of glaciers in South America as well as other parts of the world, threatening the livelihoods of those who rely on these key hydrological systems.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/149969/losing-a-layer-of-protection