Franz Joseph Glacier (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere, Westland National Park, South Island New Zealand

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"The Franz Josef (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori) is a 12 km long glacier located in Westland National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Together with the Fox Glacier 20 km to the south, it is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres above sea level, amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.
The area surrounding the two glaciers is part of Te Wahipounamu, a World Heritage Site park. The river emerging from the glacier terminal of Franz Josef is known as the Waiho River." ...........

The glacier is currently 12 km long and terminates 19 km from the Tasman Sea. Fed by a 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) large snowfield at high altitude, it exhibits a cyclic pattern of advance and retreat, driven by differences between the volume of meltwater at the foot of the glacier and volume of snowfall feeding the névé. Due to strong snowfall it is one of the few glaciers in New Zealand which is still growing as of 2007, while others, mostly on the eastern side of the Southern Alps, have been shrinking heavily, a process attributed to global warming.
Having retreated several kilometres between the 1940s and 1980s, the glacier entered an advancing phase in 1984 and at times has advanced at the phenomenal (by glacial standards) rate of 70 cm a day. The flow rate is about 10 times that of typical glaciers. Over the longer term, the glacier has retreated since the last ice age, and it is believed that it extended into the sea some 10,000 to 15,000 years ago." ..........

"Based on past variations, scientists expect that Franz Josef Glacier will retreat 5 km and lose 38% of its mass by 2100 in a mid-range scenario of warming."
Reference Wikipedia - Franz Joseph Glacier

"Since instrumental measurements began in the late 19th century, New Zealand's average air temperatures have fluctuated substantially year to year, and a number of studies indicate that New Zealand's average temperature has increased.
The Royal Society of New Zealand's statement on climate change notes that between 1908 and 2006, there has been a clear upward linear trend in the country-wide average air temperature of 0.9°Celsius."
Reference -Wikipedia - Climate Change in New Zealand

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Taken in: New Zealand / Canterbury (show map)

Taken on: February 11, 2011

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Glacier

Franz Josef Glacier

New Zealand

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Climate Change

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Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere

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Waiho River

New Zealand Glaciers

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New Zealand March 2005

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