French surveyors found that the height of Mont Blanc decreased by a meter in four years due to the melting of snow at the summit.
Except for Elbrus, which is not always attributed to Europe, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in this territory.
According to September measurements, the height of the highest mountain in Western Europe was 4807.81 meters against 4808.72 meters in 2017 (minus 0.91 meters). At an elevation of 4792 meters, the top of the mountain is fixed – that is, a rock and an ice build-up. The rest of the distance – about 16 meters – is covered by snow. To conduct the study, a team of 27 specialists climbed the peak and installed satellite dishes. This is reported by the French radio station France Bleu.
The height of Mont Blanc has been measured since 2001. In the course of observations, scientists have found that it decreases by an average of 10 centimeters per year.
Now climatologists, glaciologists (studying ice) and other specialists will study the collected data to find out the reasons for the change. It is possible that the reduction in snow cover is caused by climatic changes. At the end of August, it became known that the height of the southern peak of Mount Kebnekaise, the highest in Sweden, had lost almost two meters in a year. Scientists explained this dynamics by an increase in air temperature and changes in wind conditions. Both factors are caused by the reactions of glaciers to global warming.
Elbrus is formally the highest mountain in Europe – 5642 meters above sea level. But only on condition that the border between Europe and Asia is drawn along the Main Caucasian ridge or further south. Otherwise, Mont Blanc becomes the highest mountain peak in Europe.
