Matterhorn loses its snow as early autumn heat exposes climate-driven melt

A webcam at the Cervino Ski Paradise resort recorded the Matterhorn entirely devoid of snow on September 27, 2026, starkly contrasting with photos from the same date a year earlier that showed a thick white mantle. The snow disappearance coincides with a high-pressure heat dome that has driven temperatures above 40 °C in parts of Europe, raising the altitude at which ice can persist. Mountain guide Anjan Truffer noted that a completely bare summit has occurred only a handful of times in his three-decade career, while Dr Ludovic Ravanel warned that rock-fall incidents in the Alps have surged, with Mont Blanc alone expected to see 450 falls this year. Similar late-season snow deficits have been recorded on Japan’s Mount Fuji, underscoring a broader pattern of warming that threatens glacier stability and climbing safety across major mountain ranges.