Thwaites Ice Shelf to Detach in 2026, Threatening 2.1-Foot Sea-Level Rise
Updated
Updated · WION · May 28
Thwaites Ice Shelf to Detach in 2026, Threatening 2.1-Foot Sea-Level Rise
8 articles · Updated · WION · May 28
Satellite-based assessments indicate the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf will separate from Antarctica's "Doomsday Glacier" in 2026, removing a key barrier that slows ice flow into the ocean.
Warm ocean water is melting the glacier from below while progressive fracturing has weakened the shelf; Robert Larter said movement on the failing side has nearly doubled over the past eight months.
Thwaites has already retreated about 20 km since 1992 and has shed hundreds of billions of tonnes of ice since the 1980s, underscoring how unstable the 120-km-wide glacier has become.
Its loss alone could lift global sea levels by about 2.1 feet, and a wider collapse of the surrounding West Antarctic ice sheet could eventually raise seas by roughly 10.8 feet.
Could newly discovered features under Antarctic ice act as a brake, slowing the 'Doomsday Glacier' more than we currently predict?
As the 'Doomsday Glacier's' collapse becomes inevitable, are coastal cities planning for retreat or a futile defense against the ocean?
If ancient ice sheets collapsed from similar warming, what can their history teach us about surviving the coming sea-level rise?
Thwaites Glacier’s Collapse: How the “Doomsday Glacier” Could Raise Global Sea Levels by 65 cm and Reshape Our Coasts
Overview
Thwaites Glacier, known as the "Doomsday Glacier," is rapidly destabilizing and poses a major threat to global sea levels. If it collapses completely, it could raise sea levels by about 2.1 feet, causing widespread flooding and devastation in coastal communities worldwide. The glacier's current trajectory means it could contribute up to 20 percent of future sea-level rise, especially as its eastern ice shelf is close to breaking away. This detachment would accelerate the glacier's demise, making Thwaites a critical factor in the ongoing and future impacts of climate change on our planet.