Sentinels of weather
and climate

The snow field of Pian dei Cavalli

For more than 25 years, a meteorological station has been operating on the Pian dei Cavalli, silently gathering data while exposed to snow and wind. It is part of a snow-meteorological measurement network consisting of around 100 automatic stations in South Tyrol, which provide essential data for weather and climate research.

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The instruments installed here record key parameters such as air temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, snow depth, and solar radiation. Since 2024, the station has also been equipped with an innovative system that uses cosmic rays to measure the water content of the snowpack in winter and of the soil in summer – an advanced technology that increases the accuracy of observations.

The data collected daily serve many purposes: they improve weather forecasting, help assess avalanche risk, support water management, and above all, provide valuable insights into the changing climate.

The signals are clear: in 2024, the global average temperature was already 1.28 °C above pre-industrial levels, but in the Alps the increase has exceeded 2 °C. This shows how vulnerable alpine glaciers and the cryosphere are to global warming.

South Tyrol’s Climate Plan 2040 sets the course: a rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and strong adaptation measures. Because here in the mountains, the future is measured flake by flake.