Greek Mountain Snow Cover Has Declined by Half Since the 1980s

The Cryosphere, 23 Apr 2026

Over the past four decades, Greece’s highest mountains have lost 58% of their snow cover, making this region’s snowpack one of the fastest disappearing in the world. Using a new high-resolution snow model based on satellite observations and climate data, researchers found widespread decline in snow cover from November through May each year, with the largest loss at the beginning and end of the snow season, increasing the risk of snow droughts (periods with unusually low snow that threaten downstream water supply). Rising air temperatures were the primary driver of snow loss, influencing both how much winter precipitation falls as snow, and how quickly that snow melts. The study confirmed that these observed losses are primarily driven by human-caused warming. The findings highlight growing risk of snow drought and reduced seasonal water storage in Mediterranean mountain regions that rely on vulnerable snowpack.

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