Snow Free Glacier Surfaces on Antarctic Peninsula in October 2026 as melt season begins

**Vega Island indicating several glaciers that have snowcover on ~50% or less of the glacier surface** on Oct. 10, 2026 in this Landsat image.

The melt season has is not yet underway, yet significant bare ice areas are evident on glaciers on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands. The winter season from May-August featured above average temperatures each month, particularly in June, while September was near normal. The bare ice surfaces seen on this Oct. 10, 2026 Landsat image are not an indicator of melt during winter, but of limited new snow accumulation further reduced by sublimation and wind scouring. The winter season was no treat for these glaciers.

**Boydell and Diplock Glacier are outlet glaciers from the Antarctic Peninsula along the Trinity Coast. There are large bare ice areas along the coast between these glaciers also**, **on Oct. 10, 2026 in this Landsat image.** **Yellow dots mark the edge of the glaciers meeting sea ice.**

As the melt season begins if the bare ice surfaces persist melt will be enhanced due to greater solar radiation being absorbed and reduced long wave radiation being emitted. Even a thin cover of new snow cover from a spring storm would be helpful in the short run.