In May, Greenland Glaciers Melted 17 Times Faster

In mid-May, the melting of glaciers in Greenland was 17 times higher than the average for this period, due to record-breaking heatwaves. This information is reported by BELTA, citing a statement from the scientific organization World Weather Attribution (WWA).

"The contribution of the Greenland ice sheet melting to sea level rise is greater than it would be without this heatwave," noted a climatology professor at Imperial College London. On May 15, in Iceland, temperatures exceeded +26°C, setting a record for the country's observation history, as the island lies at the edge of the Arctic.

"Temperatures observed in Iceland in May are breaking all records, exceeding the average maximum daily temperatures for May by more than 13 degrees Celsius for the period 1991-2020," stated WWA.

For many years, satellite climate observations have revealed a significant increase in the rate of Greenland glacier melting. Rapid temperature rises trigger regular calving of massive icebergs from the Greenland ice sheet during warm periods. The mass of these icebergs reaches several billion tons.