The Tien Shan glaciers retreated as much as 3 km from the 1860s to 2003. From 1943 to 1977, Akshiirak and Ala Archa shrunk 4.2 % and 5.1 % respectively, and from 1977 to 2003 the area shrunk 8.6 % and 10.6 % , respectively. The volume of the Akshiirak glaciers was reduced by 3.566 km3 from 1943 to 1977 and 6.147 km3 from 1977 to 2000.
The total reduction of the Tien Shan glacier is 14.2 % during the last 60 yr. The northern and central Tien Shan have not experienced a significant increase of precipitation during the last 100 yr, but they have experienced an increase in summer air temperatures, especially observable since the 1970s, which caused an acceleration of the Tien Shan glaciers recession.