Weather and Climate Dynamics
Weather and Climate Dynamics
WCD
Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1033-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1033-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
Research article
 | 
25 Jun 2026
Research article |  | 25 Jun 2026

Glacier thinning causes warmer and drier regional climate at the Jostedalsbreen ice cap in western Norway

Kristine Flacké Haualand, Marie Pontoppidan, Henning Åkesson, and Tobias Sauter

Data sets

Model output for regional climate simulations around the Jostedalsbreen ice cap Kristine Flacké Haualand https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20529869

Modelled future evolution of Jostedalsbreen ice cap, Norway Henning Åkesson and Kamilla Hauknes Sjursen https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17472491

Jostedalsbreen ice thickness and bed topography Mette Kusk Gillespie et al. https://doi.org/10.58059/yhwr-rx55

Model code and software

Analysis of WRF simulations around Jostedalsbreen Kristine Flacké Haualand https://github.com/krifla/jostedalsbreen

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Short summary
Melting glaciers worldwide cause changes in land surface type and elevation that may impact regional climate. In a weather and climate model, we find that these changes result in warming and less precipitation, particularly less snow, over Jostedalsbreen ice cap in western Norway. Most of these impacts are related to thinning of the ice cap and the associated lowering of the surface and reduction in orographic lifting of moist air masses. The findings suggest accelerated melting of the ice cap.
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