"In the past glaciers in the north (of Sweden) showed a pattern that did not correspond with climate change models (of global warming), they could even be used as an argument against global warming. Now however data from recent years shows a change ... which fits climate change models extremely well," glaciology professor Per Holmlund at Stockholm University told AFP.

According to provisional measurements the Tarfala glacier in northern Sweden melted around one metre (3.3 feet) in the past year.

"Melting (from Swedish glaciers) has been particularly strong this year" and similar measurements have been recorded in the past five to six years, Holmlund said.

In the past six years Scandinavian glaciers had melted at a similar rate to glaciers in the Alps and North America during the 1980s.

Researchers from Stockholm University have continuously taken readings from 20 of Sweden's some 300 glaciers since 1946. The group takes detailed recordings from Tarfala glacier in particular, the biggest glacier in Sweden, measuring three square kilometers (1.158 square miles).

The final version of Wednesday's findings was to be reported in December to the World Glacial Monitoring Service at the University of Zurich.

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