Andean Glacier Loss Linked to El Niño

The Cryosphere, 8 October 2024

Researchers have linked El Niño events to loss of glacier ice and snow in the Peruvian Andes, raising alarm over the future of these high-mountain water resources.  El Niño, a climate phenomenon that occurs every two to seven years, warms ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific, affecting weather worldwide. The study, using NASA satellite images and a new algorithm that processes near-infrared imagery, found that the snow-covered area of the Quelccaya Glacier in Peru decreased dramatically during El Niño periods of the past four decades.  Overall, from 1985 to 2022, Quelccaya lost 58% of its snow cover and 37% of its total area. This new automated detection of snow-covered areas hopefully can be used to follow other glaciers as well, especially during future El Niño events.

Full paper: https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/4633/2024/
Press release published by Ohio State University: https://phys.org/news/2024-10-link-el-nio-ice-loss.html