4560 m asl: Capanna Margherita the highest observatory in Europe

At the over-century-old Capanna Margherita observatory, the highest in Europe, an automatic station supplied by CAE to ARPA Piemonte has been operating since 2002. For the video, click here. 

High mountains are particularly sensitive to environmental transformations resulting from ongoing climate change: even small temperature variations cause the snow, ice and permafrost distribution to rebalance, which in turn affects the stability of slopes and rock faces at high altitudes. Measuring meteorological parameters in these situations is also aimed at studying the cryosphere and mid-troposphere.

In Italy, and more precisely at Capanna Margherita on Punta Gnifetti, we have the highest physical-meteorological observatory in Europe, which houses the second-highest meteorological station in Europe on its roof at 4,560 m above sea level. The station was installed in 2002 by CAE for Arpa Piemonte and is equipped with a precision barometer, thermometer, anemometer and two radiometers to measure global radiation and UV radiation. These sensors are designed and built in such a way that they can withstand extreme weather conditions, such as those found at high altitudes.

The data recorded by the station is representative of weather conditions on a synoptic scale. Thanks to the high acquisition frequency, the data recorded at Capanna Margherita is a useful tool for studying the interaction between air masses and the Alpine chain, and some particular phenomena that these interactions can lead to, such as foehn events.

Since 2002, data from the weather station has been recorded all year round and shows a clear upward temperatures trend, especially in 2023, the first period in which Tmin > 0 °C was recorded, a condition that lasted from 4 to 8 September 2023.

TRIVIA

Capanna Margherita was inaugurated in September 1893 in the presence of Queen Margherita of Savoy, and then entirely renovated in 1980. It is of great historical importance from a scientific-meteorological point of view, as meteorological has been collected there during the summer months since the early 20th century.

Source: ARPA Piedmont https://www.arpa.piemonte.it/scheda-informativa/capanna-margherita-losservatorio-fisico-meteorologico-piu-alto-deuropa

Capanna Margherita, the highest observatory in Europe and the second-highest meteorological station in Europe. For the video, click here.

Video of the station installation at Capanna Margherita in 2002, click here.

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