Despite Cool Summer, Snowmelt In The Urals Completely Exposes The Igan Glacier

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Large amounts of melting snow alongside unfavorable winter conditions have exposed new and previously undiscovered parts of the Igan glacier, the largest glacier in the Polar Ural region. These unfavorable winter conditions took shape through decreasing precipitation rates as well as prolonged frost.

Whereas previously thick layers of snow coated and concealed the glacier, the snow cover has now disappeared, thereby causing a maximum amount of exposure of the glacier despite relatively cool summer conditions. It was this unique circumstance of an “exposed” glacier that enabled the members of a polar expedition in the Urals to distinguish and demarcate the glacier’s boundaries which were previously unmarked.

Mikhail Ivanov, a senior researcher at Moscow State University, explained the unique glaciological occurrence: “Solid precipitation is the main “booster” for glaciers. The snow that has fallen over time becomes compacted and turns into firn, which is then transformed into ice. This summer, the IGAN glacier turned out to be almost 90 percent free of snow.” It is the portal of the Okrug’s administration that informs about the exposed glacier.

Sadly, the amount of snow that has melted on the Igan glacier is completely unprecedented and thus a record low.

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