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I am fascinated at the rapid growth of Glacier Bay Glacier from 1600 to 1750, along with its rapid retreat from 1750 to 1900. I am interested in the local weather conditions during these times. What are the likely variations in the local temperatures and precipitation during these periods. How much colder was the average local temperature to create no retreat during the summer peak heat during the growth period.

I'm guessing the glacier grew for 8 months of the year, it was growing & moving seaward at a rate of 5-6 meters a day for a 100 years. How different and noticeably different would the climate have felt by citizen of near by Juneau if living during the rapid growth period of 1650. Was it harsh winter conditions almost year round, or ? How much did the average day time high change from what it is today. Can an average year round change in temperature of .5C or 2.5 or 4.5 degrees cause this huge change in glacier behaviour. What was going on with global climate at this time to cause this amazing growth during the maunder minimum? Why the temperature change during this period?

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    $\begingroup$ Welcome to Earthscience. On stackexchange in general it is very well recieved if people don't just post open-ended questions which can require doctoral theses to answer, but on-point questions after prior research has been done and (partially) not understood. Have you looked up for example how glaciers grow? And how the climate was at those times in the area of interest is also possible to find, we have data on this. It just needs googling. $\endgroup$
    – AtmosphericPrisonEscape
    Jan 9, 2019 at 22:45

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Hold on, you're talking about growth of the glacier's tongue, not necessarily the whole glacier itself. To my best knowledge, flow dynamics of ice in glaciers still are not wholly understood, meaning we do not really know, why sometimes glaciers seem to grow so rapidly (protruding their tongue).

A prerequisite is the presence of enough ice in the growth-area of the glacier (growth area is the part above the snowline), meaning above average snowfalls in the years or even decades before the easier observable tongue growth. More snow compacts to more ice, generating more pressure on the whole glacier body, finally causing the outflow of the tongue.

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