Canin 2203 m - weather
Rifugio Gilberti vs Conca Prevala
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The direct comparison between the two nearby sites allows for an appreciation of their microclimatic characteristics.
The weather stations at Rifugio Celso Gilberti and Conca Prevala, installed for scientific, educational, and outreach purposes, are specifically aimed at monitoring the microclimate of mountain basins and depressions in the Julian Alps.
Specific synoptic and meteorological conditions enhance the microclimatic characteristics of these sites, leading to extremely low temperature values that are often completely detached from the general meteorological context. Heat loss to space via infrared radiation, in the absence of solar radiation (during nighttime or in shadow) and wind, causes cold and denser air than warm air to accumulate in depressions. This process generates a thermal inversion that progressively thickens, resulting in the formation of a sort of "cold air lake," mostly invisible to the human eye. Only under conditions of high humidity can the "cold air lake" become visible, as shown in the image below (lago di aria fredda).
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The inversion "cold air lake" in Conca Prevala becomes visible due to high humidity, which causes the air mass to condense, forming a thin layer of fog on December 26, 2023 (source: https://sellanevea.panomax.com/).
The inversion tends to persist in place as long as the surrounding meteorological conditions remain unchanged. The onset of light ventilation, which mixes the layers of cold air and disturbs the stability of the "cold air lake," can lead to sudden temperature increases within a few minutes.
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The weather station at Conca Prevala has been installed at the lowest point of the depression (1783.50 m). The topographic data was extracted from the 2018 LiDAR survey conducted by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
The Stevenson Screen, housing the temperature and air humidity sensors, is positioned approximately 3 meters above ground level to prevent burial by heavy snowfall. Consequently, the sensor elevation is approximately 1786.5 m. The installation near the starting point of the Prevala-Gilberti chairlift was made possible through collaboration with the ski lift operators of the Sella Nevea - Promoturismo area.
Topographic map of the depression floor in Conca Prevala with the location of the meteorological sensors
The Rifugio Gilberti weather station, on the other hand, is located at the arrival point of the Prevala-Gilberti chairlift at an elevation of 1864 m. The Stevenson Screen with temperature and air humidity sensors, the anemometer, the solar radiation sensor, and the rain gauge are mounted at the top of the last pylon.
This installation again was chosen to prevent the burial of instruments due to the heavy snowfall characteristic of the area. The area in front of Rifugio Celso Gilberti hosts an AINEVA snow measurement station, which reports an average annual snowfall accumulation of about 7 m in recent decades, with peaks exceeding 15 meters in years such as the winter of 2013-14.
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The linear distance between the two sites, 336 m, was calculated using LAS topographic data from the RAFVG LiDAR survey conducted between 2017 and 2020. The elevation difference is 77 m.
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Details are summarized in the image below.
3D and sectional survey of the Rifugio Gilberti and Conca Prevala stations with the location of the meteorological sensors