Julian Alps Meteo-Lab: A Scientific and Educational Network for Alpine Climate and Cryosphere Studies

The Alpine-Adriatic Meteorological Society (A-AMS), in collaboration with various organizations and institutions active in the Alpe-Adria region, has launched the 'Julian Alps Meteo-Lab' project with the aim of advancing scientific knowledge of this distinctive sector of the Alps. To this end, A-AMS promotes and supports studies related to the meteorology, climate, paleoclimate, and cryosphere of the area.
The Julian Alps and Prealps — parts of which lie within the Julian Prealps Natural Park (Italy), designated a UNESCO MAB Reserve in 2019, and the Triglav National Park (Slovenia) — constitute the Alpine region with the highest mean annual precipitation. Moreover, the intensity of individual rain or snow events is often significantly greater than the average severity of similar events across Europe.
Furthermore, in the Julian Alps, several small glacial bodies remain active at much lower elevations than in other parts of the Alps due to a combination of local and regional factors. Moreover, the area is affected by pronounced karst development, which predisposes the region to a high density of subsurface cavities, many of which host perennial ice deposits.
These observation sites, along with others planned for the future, will be made available online to enable systematic monitoring of the area's meteorological and climatic conditions. Particular emphasis will be placed on making data accessible to the public, not only for scientific purposes but also to support tourism and the local economy. Additionally, the Julian Alps Meteo-Lab was established with an educational mission aimed at promoting courses, seminars, summer schools, and training events to engage both enthusiasts and non-specialists in the scientific activities related to the project.