Several Icelandic ice caps lost most or all of their seasonal snow cover in 2025, removing the reflective layer that typically protects glacier ice from melt. CryoSat-2 observations show widespread surface lowering across the ice caps, indicating above-average glacier ice loss.
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The Russian Arctic ranked among the regions with the highest glacier mass losses in 2025, losing 56 ± 37 gigatonnes according to the WGMS Network (2026). CryoSat-2 observations indicate notable summer thinning across the region compared with previous years.
CryoSat-2 observations show that Alaska's glaciers have lost over 8% of their total ice volume since 2000. This rapid retreat is reshaping the landscape - in summer 2025, the retreat of the Alsek Glacier exposed a new island by isolating a small mountain that was once surrounded by ice.