The southern peak of Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise, shrinks by about 2 meters. That's because the glaciers or chunks of ice that are there are melting. Predictably, the cause is warming temperatures caused by climate change.
Even in recent years, the mass of glaciers in Kebnekaise has been reduced by a third. According to the Bolin Center for Climate Research, since the recording made in the 1940s, the height of this mountain, especially at the top of the southern part can change.
Usually the highest peak is in May and the lowest in September, during the summer. But in the latest study on Aug. 14, the peak was at its lowest position since recording.
Its height is recorded at 2,094 meters, about 2 meters lower than August 2020 which is still as high as 2,096 meters. It is estimated that its height will drop by at least another half meter by mid -September 2021.
"This is the lowest altitude since measurements began in the 1940s. This peak decline can mainly be explained by rising air temperatures but also changes in wind conditions, which impact on where snow accumulates in winter," said the University of Stockholm.
In the past, the southern peak of Kebnekaise was usually the highest, ever reaching 2,118 meters in the mid-1990s. But as more and more ice melts, now the highest is the northern peak because of more rocks.
The United Nations recently reported that climate change has caused many glaciers to melt and if not addressed, in the future will cause sea levels to rise. This event in Sweden is one example