Extreme glacier melt on the Central Tibetan Plateau during the summer of 2022: detection and mechanisms

Zhu, Fei; Zhu, Meilin; An, Lu

doi:10.5194/hess-30-6983-2026

Articles | Volume 30, issue 21

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6983-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6983-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 30, issue 21

Research article

|

11 Nov 2026

Research article |

| 11 Nov 2026

Extreme glacier melt on the Central Tibetan Plateau during the summer of 2022: detection and mechanisms

Fei Zhu, Meilin Zhu, and Lu An

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6983-2026-supplement

Data sets

ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present Copernicus Climate Change Service https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47

ERA5 hourly data on pressure levels from 1940 to present Copernicus Climate Change Service https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.bd0915c6

Short summary

Using on-site measurements and a new detection method, we found the 2022 summer heatwave caused unprecedented glacier melting. Melt was higher than in the previous two summers. This extreme event, driven by persistent heat and unusual weather patterns, was intensified by enhanced sensible heat fluxes, increased net longwave radiation, and increased net shortwave radiation associated with reduced albedo.