Abstract ID: 3.11166 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

Sub-seasonal to daily changes in glacier mass balance are currently poorly captured in most glacier monitoring programs. However, such information is crucial for science communication as well as for a better scientific understanding of underlying physical processes. A better knowledge of temporal dynamics has particularly important implications for water availability and water management in glacier-fed basins worldwide. Glacial meltwater is a crucial resource for the lowlands of arid and continental Central Asia, particularly during the growing season. Extreme glacier mass loss has been reported in Central Asia in recent years, often associated with higher air temperatures, droughts, and changes in seasonal precipitation. While annual mass balance observations have been re-established throughout the region over the last decade, seasonal to sub-seasonal observations, which could shed light on newly observed phenomena such as rain events and subsequent refreezing, remain extremely scarce. In combination with meteorological and hydrological observations, the first real-time monitoring stations were installed on seven glaciers in the past three years, collecting sub-daily melt data. This provides the basis for real-time glacier monitoring applications. In contrast, glacier monitoring in Switzerland is one step ahead. In recent years, the Swiss Glacier Monitoring (GLAMOS) programme has established a network of on-glacier webcams that operate year-round and collect daily data on local mass balance changes. By incorporating these measurements into a distributed daily mass balance model, which is automatically optimised to fit all available information collected during the hydrological year, a data-driven real-time assessment of 10 Swiss glaciers is performed weekly. Such an operational system would be extremely beneficial for the water resource management sector in Central Asia. Here we provide an overview of the recent progress in Central Asian and Swiss glacier monitoring programs in terms of real-time measurements and their interpretation. We further show how glacier monitoring can combine high temporal resolution atmospheric, cryospheric and hydrological observations with remote sensing data. This integrated approach will allow the detection of processes that may become important in rapidly changing environments in high mountain regions.