We’re happy to announce the release of OGGM v1.6.3, the final update in the 1.6.x series.
This is a fully backwards-compatible release bringing a wide range of bug fixes, improvements, and updated standard projections. A big thank you to the 8 contributors who made this release possible!
A new generation of glacier directories
The main highlight of v1.6.3 is a new generation of preprocessed glacier directories. These updates mostly improve data quality and consistency behind the scenes, while keeping results close to previous versions.
Key additions include:
- Full support for RGI7 workflows
- ERA5-calibrated directories extended to 2025
- New directories including avalanche maps
- Updated datasets (e.g. ITS_LIVE v2, GlaThiDa) and several bug fixes
- A switch to the UTM projection and improved global topography (COPDEM)
Overall, differences with previous directories (v1.6.1) remain small by design, with larger changes only when using the new ERA5 or RGI7 products.
For more context, see our previous blogpost on glacier directories and projections.
Model and workflow improvements
This release also brings several notable model updates:
- Calving now supported in the default
SemiImplicitModel - Continued development of Glacier3dViz and its thickness distribution tools
- New calibration and diagnostics options (e.g. quantiles across projections)
- Improved flexibility in parameter handling and workflows
We’ve also streamlined installation (including support for uv) and improved performance in several core routines.
New tutorials
To help you get started, we added:
- Two new tutorials showcasing the updated glacier directories
- One tutorial on glacier runoff sensitivity analysis
Explore them at https://tutorials.oggm.org
Looking ahead: v1.7
While v1.6.3 wraps up the 1.6 series, development is moving fast. OGGM v1.7 is around the corner, with major updates already underway, including:
- Moving the daily mass balance model into core OGGM
- Improved parameter handling and workflows
- Preparations for GlacierMIP4
Stay tuned — more to come soon!
🙏 Thanks again to everyone who contributed to this release!