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Cryosphere information services in Central Asia

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Supported by

From monitoring to resilience:

Timeline 100 years of hydromet and cryosphere observations

Timeline Swiss snow & glacier projects — past 30 years

Cryosphere information services — potential applications

Is winter tourism development possible in this area?
Will we need to pause or divert the traffic due to high avalanche risk?
Should we adjust hydropower production based on snowmelt projections?
How much irrigation water can I expect in the upcoming season?
Is the tailing dam stable and not at risk from rock fall due to thawing permafrost?
  • Researchers
    use cryosphere monitoring data to constantly improve their understanding of the current change and future projections
  • Farmers and pastoralists
    use information about water availability to adjust farming calendars, grazing routes, or prepare for flooding risks
  • Responsible authorities,
    community leaders and private actors
    use avalanche data to inform populations of increased avalanche risks
  • Water utility providers
    use snow and glacier melt data and projections to analyze seasonal water availability and plan water supply
  • Spatial planners
    use avalanche hazard and risk information to guide safe development of winter tourism infrastructure
  • Engineers, architects and builders
    use permafrost data and projections to assess the stability of the terrain before building roads, pipelines, or infrastructure
  • Mining engineers
    use permafrost monitoring data to assess ground stability for safe geo-exploration and mining infrastructure
  • Hydropower managers
    use cryosphere and hydrological information for the projection of energy production and for the conflict-free management of reservoir vs downstream irrigation needs
  • Ski resort managers
    use snow cover data and projections to analyse future snow reliability to evaluate the economic feasibility of building in specific locations
  • Researchers
    use cryosphere monitoring data to constantly improve their understanding of the current change and future projections
  • Farmers and pastoralists
    use information about water availability to adjust farming calendars, grazing routes, or prepare for flooding risks
  • Responsible authorities,
    community leaders and private actors
    use avalanche data to inform populations of increased avalanche risks
  • Water utility providers
    use snow and glacier melt data and projections to analyze seasonal water availability and plan water supply
  • Spatial planners
    use avalanche hazard and risk information to guide safe development of winter tourism infrastructure
  • Engineers, architects and builders
    use permafrost data and projections to assess the stability of the terrain before building roads, pipelines, or infrastructure
  • Mining engineers
    use permafrost monitoring data to assess ground stability for safe geo-exploration and mining infrastructure
  • Hydropower managers
    use cryosphere and hydrological information for the projection of energy production and for the conflict-free management of reservoir vs downstream irrigation needs
  • Ski resort managers
    use snow cover data and projections to analyse future snow reliability to evaluate the economic feasibility of building in specific locations

The cryosphere in Central Asia

cenral asia mountains glaciers
The CROMO-ADAPT Project supports 16 monitoring sites and 3 boreholes.
The glaciers of Central Asia contain about 3200 km³ of water reserves.
cenral asia mountains glaciers
High-elevation hydropower, winter tourism, mining sites and roads, and downstream agriculture are directly dependent on the state of cryosphere.
Hydropower production
Unique species
Water quality and biodiversity
Wetlands
Agriculture
Transboundary rivers
Settlements
Winter sports
Communities, economies, and ecosystems all depend on the multiple benefits provided by the cryosphere.

The cryosphere and its benefits

Diseases, biosafety
Floods
Rock stability, rockfalls
Change in water flow
Avalanche hazard
Glacier melt, snow cover decline, and permafrost thaw due to climate change are increasing the risks to infrastructure, energy production, water supply, economic activities, and livelihoods.

The cryosphere and its risks

Water availability for crops
Extreme weather warnings for agriculture
Icy roads, risk of avalanches
Meteorological stations
Remote sensing
Snow depth gauge
Snow water equivalent
Rapid snow melt, snow-related hazards
Snow cover extent and depth
Snow data and services span time horizons from hours to decades.

The cryosphere — snow

Water availability for crops
Mining and tailing safety
Road conditions and safety
Remote sensing
Temperature at depth
Rock stability
Temperature profile
Water reserves in the frozen ground and rocks
Permafrost data and services span time horizons from seasons to centuries.

The cryosphere — permafrost

Water availability for crops
Water inflow into reservoirs, hydropower planning
Risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)
Glacier surveys, expeditions
Cameras and sensors on glaciers
Remote sensing
Aerial surveys
Glacier mass balance
Glacier area, volume and length
Glacier surges
Stability and number of glacial lakes
Glacier data and services span time horizons from days to decades.

The cryosphere — glacier

Shifts in snow duration and melting dates
More rain instead of snow, rain on snow events and floods
Decrease in snow elevation, extent and snow water equivalent everywhere, except in Eastern Pamir
Reduction in snow cover and albedo at lower elevations
Increase in winter precipitation and runoff at high elevations
Warming in air and ground surface temperature

Scenarios for snow

Scenarios for glaciers

The projected reduction of water resources in the glaciers of Central Asia is immense and can be compared to the decline in the water volume of the Aral Sea.

Scenarios for glaciers

The projected reduction of water resources in the glaciers of Central Asia is immense and can be compared to the decline in the water volume of the Aral Sea.
Value cycle for cryosphere information services
Cryosphere information services depend on interconnected activities that create a benefit for end users provided the cycle is closed.
Research institutions and academia
Information and communication technology providers (ICTs)
Media
Communities, farmers
and pastoralists
Private companies and economic actors
Ministerial departments
and other national authorities
National meteorological and hydrological service (NMHS)
WMO, GCOS and other multilateral organisations
Engaging the stakeholders across the cryosphere value cycle is essential in ensuringactionable cryosphere information services.
Human connections and capacity building
  • Skills development and strengthening of local expertise
    Enhance capacity through training, higher education, knowledge transfer, and hands-on involvement in monitoring, modeling, data interpretation and service delivery
  • Linkages to international cooperation and international initiatives
    Open opportunities for collaboration with global scientific networks, climate adaptation initiatives, and policy frameworks (e.g. UNFCCC, WMO)
  • National to regional network strengthening
    Fosters collaboration and data and knowledge exchange across countries and institutions
  • Skills development and strengthening of local expertise
    Enhance capacity through training, higher education, knowledge transfer, and hands-on involvement in monitoring, modeling, data interpretation and service delivery
  • Linkages to international cooperation and international initiatives
    Open opportunities for collaboration with global scientific networks, climate adaptation initiatives, and policy frameworks (e.g. UNFCCC, WMO)
  • National to regional network strengthening
    Fosters collaboration and data and knowledge exchange across countries and institutions
  • 400+ local scientists trained
    Equipping scientists with the skills to perform high-quality monitoring
  • 20+ study visits to Switzerland
    Providing students with international exposure and advanced training
  • 200+ participants in Summer Schools and Workshops
    Offering students hands-on learning experiences
  • 20+ PhD students co-supervised
    Ensuring that the next generation of cryosphere experts is well prepared
  • 50+ women participating in “Adventure of science: Women and glaciers in Central Asia”
    Ensuring that women have a strong voice and active role in cryosphere research and exploration
  • 30+ cryosphere monitoring sites
    Providing comprehensive baseline data in all climate regions
  • 18 modelling tools and services developed
    Providing access to cutting edge technology
  • Annual regular GTN-G (WGMS), GTNP & WMO submissions
    Ensuring  global visibility and access
Policy recommendations
  • Improve cryosphere information services by aligning them with user needs and by making use of cost-efficient and robust technology
    Enhance mutual understanding between users and providers, establish supportive legal and institutional frameworks, and invest in low-maintenance monitoring and service dissemination solutions
  • Improve data exchange by establishing data-sharing mechanisms among countries and sectors
    Support interoperability across platforms, and promote open access policies that ensure timely, transparent, and coordinated use of cryosphere data
  • Strengthen local and national expertise in cryosphere research
    Through the development of training programmes and the promotion of citizen science, and secure funding through smart investments and multi-stakeholder partnerships
  • Develop and implement demand-driven and demand-triggering projects
    Through ongoing engagement with users and by designing modular projects that can be adjusted for emerging needs and that contribute to National Adaptation Plans
Potential applications for end users
  • Hydropower and irrigation
    • Check forecasts on seasonal water availability and contribution of meltwater from snow and glaciers
    • Plan hydropower operation based on sub-daily resolution forecasts
    • Consider slope stability and long-term changes in water flow for strategic and long-term planning
  • Roads and transport
    • Check forecasts on severe weather (including visibility) and snow avalanche risk
    • Monitor rock stability and permafrost at high altitude sections and consider these in road planning and safety
  • Mining at altitude
    • Use data on timing, extent and depth of snow cover, risk of avalanches
    • Monitor ice and rock stability and permafrost and consider these in industrial safety
    • Model long-term stability of sites for safe tailings operation and waste management
  • Disaster risk reduction (DRR) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes
    • Use risk and impact scenarios for DRR and for National Adaptation Plan process
    • Use sectorally relevant data for line ministries and other agencies
  • Mountain tourism
    • Use data on timing and depth of snow cover, risk of avalanches
    • Ask site-specific long-term snow and cryosphere modelling to plan or modify ski resorts and infrastructure
    • Check forecasts and warnings on severe weather
    • Check data on glaciers and glacial flood risk

Links

Further resources and projects:
UN World Water Development Report 2025, Mountains and glaciers, Water towers: unwater.org/publications/un-world-water-development-report-2025
Central Asia Hydromet atlas: zoinet.org/product/hydromet-atlas
Knowledge products from GLOFCA — Glacier lake outburst floods in Central Asia UNESCO-AF project: glofca.org/resources-for-science-and-policy
PAMIR project — From ice to microorganisms and humans: Toward an interdisciplinary understanding of climate change impacts on the Third Pole: pamir-project.ch
National hydromet services (NHMS) sites:
Kazakhstan: kazhydromet.kz
Kyrgyzstan: meteo.kg
Tajikistan: meteo.tj
Uzbekistan: hydromet.uz
National and regional cryosphere websites:
Kazakhstan and Central Asia (Regional glacier centre): cargc.org
Tajikistan: cryosphere.tj
Adventure of Science: Women and glaciers in Central Asia: inspiringgirls.org/central-asia-en
World Glacier Monitoring Service WGMS: wgms.ch
Global Cryosphere Watch: globalcryospherewatch.org
SnowMapper — Snow situation in Central Asia:
Central Asia Mountains dashboard: snowmapper.ch
Tajikistan: taj.snowmapper.ch

Links

Further resources and projects:
UN World Water Development Report 2025, Mountains and glaciers, Water towers: unwater.org/publications/un-world-water-development-report-2025
Central Asia Hydromet atlas: zoinet.org/product/hydromet-atlas
Knowledge products from GLOFCA — Glacier lake outburst floods in Central Asia UNESCO-AF project: glofca.org/resources-for-science-and-policy
PAMIR project — From ice to microorganisms and humans: Toward an interdisciplinary understanding of climate change impacts on the Third Pole: pamir-project.ch
Adventure of Science: Women and glaciers in Central Asia: inspiringgirls.org/central-asia-en
World Glacier Monitoring Service WGMS: wgms.ch
Global Cryosphere Watch: globalcryospherewatch.org
National hydromet services (NHMS) sites:
Kazakhstan: kazhydromet.kz
Kyrgyzstan: meteo.kg
Tajikistan: meteo.tj
Uzbekistan: hydromet.uz
National and regional cryosphere websites:
Kazakhstan and Central Asia (Regional glacier centre): cargc.org
Tajikistan: cryosphere.tj
SnowMapper — Snow situation in Central Asia:
Central Asia Mountains dashboard: snowmapper.ch
Tajikistan: taj.snowmapper.ch
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