Greenland Ice Melt Soars 17x Due to Extreme Heat

(MENAFN) During an extraordinary May heatwave, Greenland's ice sheet experienced melting at a rate 17 times higher than usual, according to findings released Wednesday by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network.

“Temperatures over Iceland as observed this May are record-breaking, more than 13 degrees Celsius hotter than the 1991-2020 average May daily maximum temperatures,” the WWA confirmed.

Iceland’s meteorological agency reported that 84% of its weather monitoring stations logged unprecedented temperatures throughout the month.

In eastern Greenland, the highest temperature recorded during the heatwave was 3.9°C above levels typical in the preindustrial era, WWA stated.

Such extreme temperature levels, WWA emphasized, are statistically rare—likely to occur just once in a century under current climate conditions.

The effects of such heat in polar regions are especially pronounced. “In Greenland and Iceland, infrastructure is built for cold weather, meaning during a heat wave, ice melt can lead to flooding and damage roads and infrastructure,” the WWA explained.

On May 15, Iceland saw temperatures spike beyond 26°C—a highly atypical reading for the country.

This sudden heat led to “bituminous bleeding” on Icelandic roads, a phenomenon where asphalt softens and becomes hazardous. Meanwhile, in Greenland, warmer air caused sea ice to fracture, posing serious risks to communities that rely on stable ice for hunting, fishing, and transport.

The WWA’s review ties this extreme event closely to global warming, stating the heatwave was approximately 3°C hotter and made 40 times more likely by human-driven climate change.

Although climate models generally underestimate such extreme heat, projections indicate that if global temperatures rise by 2.6°C, similar heat events could become twice as frequent—and even more intense.

A new national record for May temperatures—26.6°C—was documented in Egilsstaðir, a town in East Iceland. Experts suggest such a reading might only recur once every 110 years under the present climate regime.

Both Greenland and Iceland are mirroring the broader Arctic trend of rising temperatures and shifting precipitation, making the need for climate adaptation strategies increasingly critical.

Iceland is now advancing national adaptation efforts that focus on fortifying infrastructure and societal resilience. Meanwhile, Greenland has begun to treat heat as a growing public health concern.

MENAFN11062025000045017169ID1109660788