Image of the day
Ongoing heatwave affects glaciers Swiss Alps
Earth Observation | Copernicus
Climate Change
Glaciers
Heat Waves
Location: Swiss Alps
Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
The ongoing heatwave, combined with the absence of clouds over the Alps, resulted in record-breaking temperatures across Europe, even at high altitudes. According to MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office for Meteorology and Climatology, the high-altitude air temperature record for the past 70 years ago has recently been recorded.
Glaciers are being heavily affected by the extreme temperatures: the Swiss Pennine Alps, visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 22 August 2023, have recently lost their remaining winter ice cover.
Copernicus Sentinel-2 high-resolution open data is used operationally to monitor snow and ice in Europe and globally.
![Download [WEBP, 962.01 KB]](https://eu-space.europa.eu/sites/default/files/images/iotd/20230823_PennineAlps.webp){kind=link}