Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
After the snow-poor winter of 2024/25 and the heatwave of June 2025, only the uppermost third of the Oberaar Glacier is still covered with snow.
Oberaar Glacier and glacier snout on 18 July 2025.
In the area around the glacier snout and glacier terminus, the Oberaar Glacier has undergone further significant changes within the space of a year.
Glacier gate of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
On 18 July 2025, the
glacier gate appeared very broad and approximately medium in height.
Glacier gate of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
The entire
glacier gate from a different perspective. Alpinists can be seen on the left.
Northern glacier gate of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
Approximately 80% of the meltwater flowed out of the northern glacier gate. Above, the meltwater flowed along the northern edge of the glacier and was partially visible.
Central section of the Oberaar Glacier gate on 18 July 2025.
The wide southern part of the glacier gate divides behind the front into a central and a southern part.
Southern part of the glacier gate of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
The southern part of the glacier gate showed signs of severe decay.
Dead ice on the southern side of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
On the southern side of the glacier, east of the glacier gate at the foot of the slopes, there is still a lot of dead ice. Some of this glacier ice is covered with debris and boulders, while some of the dead ice is bare and directly exposed to the warm air.
Small lake at the foot of the dead ice on the south side of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
Signs of decay at the glacier terminus on 18 July 2025.
Signs of disintegration on the northern side of the Oberaar Glacier at the height of the collapse structure on 18 July 2025.
Aerial view of the badly eroded and undermined glacier terminus of the Oberaar Glacier.
View from the eastern collapse structure towards the glacier snout.
Collapse structure in the Oberaar Glacier, viewed from the east on 18 July 2025.
The eastern collapse structure can be seen at the rear and the central collapse structure at the front. Two people can be seen very small at the top left of the photo.
View from the west into the eastern collapse structure of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
This aerial photograph shows the two branches of the stream into which the meltwater flows from the collapse structure.
View from the north into the eastern collapse structure of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
On 4 August 2024, the bottom of the collapse structure was not yet visible from the observation point. In less than a year, the collapse structure has widened, while the glacier ice covered with sand and debris has lost several metres in thickness.
Eastern and central collapse structures in the Oberaar Glacier, viewed from the east on 18 July 2025.
The two collapse structures are now separated only by a narrow ridge of glacier ice.
View from the west into the central collapse structure in the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
A lake has formed at the bottom of the collapse structure. To the right of the lake's overflow, a former overflow can be seen slightly elevated.
View from the east into the western collapse structure of the Oberaar Glacier on 18 July 2025.
Runoff of meltwater below the glacier snout on 18 July 2025 at 8:20 a.m.
Runoff of meltwater below the glacier snout on 18 July 2025 at 3:40 p.m.
As the average zero degree line had been ‘only’ at 3600 metres above sea level the previous week, the discharge volume was unexpectedly high.