Articles | Volume 19, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3655-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3655-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
10 Sep 2025
Research article |
| 10 Sep 2025
| 10 Sep 2025
Ongoing firn warming at Eclipse Icefield, Yukon, indicates potential widespread meltwater percolation and retention in firn pack across the St. Elias Range
Ingalise Kindstedt
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
Dominic Winski
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
C. Max Stevens
Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Emma Skelton
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH, USA
Luke Copland
Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Karl Kreutz
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
Mikaila Mannello
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
Renée Clavette
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
Jacob Holmes
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
Mary Albert
Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
Scott N. Williamson
Polar Knowledge Canada, Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
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Short summary
Atmospheric warming over mountain glaciers is leading to increased warming and melting of snow as it compresses into glacier ice. This affects both regional hydrology and climate records contained in the ice. Here we use field observations and modeling to show that surface melting and percolation at Eclipse Icefield (Yukon, Canada) are increasing with an increase in extreme melt events and that compressing snow at Eclipse is likely to continue warming even if air temperatures remain stable.
Atmospheric warming over mountain glaciers is leading to increased warming and melting of snow...
