Kredarica: the Heart of High Mountain Meteorology for more than 70 Years

Continuous measurements since 1954

The first measurements at Kredarica started in 1897, just a year after the first lodge was built. Measurements were initially recorded only in summer, by the hut keeper, when the lodge was open.

Continuous measurements have been carried out since August 1954 and are the longest series of high-mountain observations in Slovenia. Since 1991, the observations have been extended to the night, and since then they have been carried out 24 hours a day.

Today, the meteorological station works in cooperation with the Slovenian Environment Agency and the Slovenian Armed Forces and the two jointly monitor and report on weather conditions. Meteorological observers are present at the station every day. The team consists of a civilian and a military observer, who work in 10-day shifts at Kredarica, which are sometimes extended for weather or logistical reasons.

Although there is also an automatic meteorological station at Kredarica, observers still play a key role. As well as taking manual readings and transmitting data, they also record weather phenomena that are not detected by automatic systems, such as the type and amount of clouds.

Working in harsh and hazardous conditions

Once upon a time, observers had to walk to Kredarica. In the autumn, all the necessary equipment, food, drink and fuel were transported to the station by horses. For more than 40 years, the station has been supplied by helicopters.

Dr Andrej Hočevar described how the ascent to Kredarica used to be, which was summarised by Tanja Cegnar from the Slovenian Environment Agency in the publication 60 Years of the Kredarica Meteorological Station:

He and meteorologist Bojan Paradiž went to Kredarica in the winter of 1954. They left Ljubljana on 1 December for the Krma valley. There, porters were waiting for them. In the summer, horses carried the load, but in December the snow made this impossible, so the porters carried the equipment on their backs. As there were not enough porters, they carried their personal equipment themselves. After seven hours of walking, they reached Kredarica.

Then, as well as today, work at the Kredarica meteorological station was and still is performed in harsh and dangerous conditions. The ruthlessness of the weather conditions is also evidenced by the archival record of Dr Andrej Hočevar, written on 24 December 1954 and published in the publication entitled 60 Years of the Kredarica Meteorological Station:

“Today a fierce wind has been blowing all day. Its speed exceeds 90 km/h. The wind is blowing straight towards me. I hold on to my ice axe, which I plant almost to the hilt in the snow, and slowly move on. It's no big deal if sometimes I have to squat down and hold on to it with all my might to stop it from blowing me away. One likes to measure one’s strength against the forces of nature, to see how much one can fight them.”

A valuable source of data for climate change research

High-altitude observatories are rare, but all the more valuable for that. They provide important insights into the state of the atmosphere and climate in high mountains and in environment not directly affected by human activities. Due to pronounced climate change, high-altitude meteorological stations have become indispensable in recent decades.

The observation area is located about 15 m south of the Triglav Lodge and has been in the same place for more than 70 years. As the surroundings have not changed significantly over the years, these measurements form a single set without artificial influences, providing a unique insight into climate change in vulnerable mountains.  

The measurements are also of the utmost importance in identifying the causes of the shrinking of the Triglav Glacier. The Triglav Glacier is one of the most direct indicators of climate change in the wider Alpine region.

Modernisation of the Climate Observatory at Kredarica

After more than 70 years, the renovation and upgrading of the Climate Observatory at Kredarica started this year to provide meteorological observers with suitable working and living conditions. The renovation will allow measurements to continue and the existing instruments will be upgraded with sensors to measure the content of the two most important greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane.

As the Slovenian Environment Agency explains, greenhouse gas measurements must be carried out far from large emission sources, in a well-mixed atmosphere. High-altitude observatories are therefore best suited for such measurements, as such sites are better able to show any relevant changes or long-term trends in greenhouse gas content.