Long-term trend of snow water equivalent in the Italian Alps

•Analysis of 1930–2020 variability of Italian Alps Standardised SWE Index (SSWEI)•SSWEI shows large variability, with lowermost values in 1991–2020.•Change in relation between SSWEI and teleconnection indices after the 1980s.•Negative SSWEI is driven by increasing air temperature from the 1990s.•The last decades experienced unprecedented and persistent snow-drought conditions.