South Africa’s highest mountain weather station studies climate

South Africa’s highest automatic weather station has begun operations in the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains. Perched at 3,100 metres above sea level near Mont-aux-Sources area. This is reported by official website of SAnews, South African Government News Agency.

The station provides temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation in real-time. This data is crucial for monitoring climate change, identifying extreme weather events, and assessing the condition of vital water catchment basins.

The data will be freely accessible to scientists, government bodies, tour operators, and indeed, anyone with a vested interest in the well-being of this mountain region.

This initiative is a collaborative effort between the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) and the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) at the University of the Free State. It forms part of a larger research network comprising five stations strategically positioned along an altitudinal gradient, from the mountain base to the alpine zone.

The chosen location is a strategic water source, serving as the origin for major South African rivers, including the Orange and Tugela. Local communities are heavily reliant on the ecosystem services provided by these mountainous areas.

Historically, South Africa’s meteorological networks have largely been concentrated in lower-lying, human-developed regions, resulting in a deficit of high-altitude data.

Photo: JIRAROJ PRADITCHAROENKUL / iStock