2 nd Third Pole Environment (TPE) Workshop Kathmandu, Nepal, October 26-28, 2010 Importance of long term monitoring of climate data in the Khumbu Valley (Himalaya) and in Gilgit Baltistan (Karakorum) as a contribution to the TPE's activities Gianni Tartari*,+, Gianluca Lentini*, Roberta Toffolon* and Elisa Vuillermoz* *Ev-K2-CNR Committee, Bergamo, Italy + Water Research Institute, National research Council, Brugherio, Italy

However, since high altitude sites are so sensitive to the effects of climate change, the present density of stations over the high altitudes is not as high as it would be desirable. Concepts Illustrate the main characteristics and some results of the measuring stations in Khumbu Valley and Gilgit Baltistan, in the frame of the SHARE Project, underlying the possible role of long-term monitoring sites in the integrated approach of the Third Pole Environment (TPE) Aims of this presentation The Himalaya and Karakorum chains have been, in recent decades, better monitored as opposed to what happened in the past.

Everest 9 Stations K2 2 Stations Stations in Himalaya-Karakorum (HK)

Ev-K2-CNR contributes to the collection of long-term climate data in the Khumbu Valley (Mount Everest) since 1994, where nine stations between the altitude of 2660 m to 7986 m (South Col) have been progressively installed. Since 2001 six of these stations have been included in the CEOP (Coordinated Energy and Water Cycle Observations Project) as reference stations, a network created in the framework of the WCRP/GEWEX activities. The longest record (17 years) is in the Khumbu Valley region, and the most recent collection began in 2010, at Changri Nup (5750 m a.s.l.). All stations are operating in continuous, except the South Col station which carried out measurements for over a year despite the enormous management difficulties. Himalaya stations Karakorum stations The Ev-K2-CNR monitoring activity in Gilgit Baltistan region (Mount K2) is more recent and started in 2004, with two AWSs at about 3000 m and 4000 m a.s.l., respectively. These stations are included in the CEOP activities as well.

Specific measurements ParametersUnit Snow levelm Soil Heat FluxW m -2 Soil Temperature°C Permittivity% USW RadiationW m -2 ULW RadiationW m -2 DSW RadiationW m -2 DLW RadiationW m -2 Nepal standard CEOP Stations Pyramid & Lukla Standard measurements ParametersUnit Temperature°C Relative Humidity% Atmospheric Pressure hPa Global radiationW m -2 Wind speedm s -1 Wind Direction° Total Precipitationmm HK AWSs Lukla; Namche; Pheriche;Pyramid; Kala Patthar; Changri Nup; South Col; Askole; Urdukas The SHARE Meteorological Monitoring Network

In Khumbu Valley, Mt. Everest, are operative 7 sites with a total of 9 SHARE stations and 1 DHM/UNI-Tsukuba station Pyramid (5,050 m) Namche (3,560 m) Lukla (2,660 m) Periche (3,560 m) South Col (7,986 m) NCOP-P (5,079 m) Kala Patthar (5,550 m) Changri Nup (5,750 m) Syanboche (3,900 m) Altitude: m a.s.l. Gradient: 5326 m

3015 m 3926 m In the Baltoro glacier area since 2004 are installed 2 AWSs at Askole and Urdukas The main difficulties in the managing of high altitude stations is to ensure the data availability

Mean monthly temperature evolution: Long-term monitoring at the Pyramid Laboratory

Monsoon studies: mean onset and decay dates Bertolani, L., M. Bollasina & G. Tartari Recent Biennial Variability Of Meteorological Features In Eastern Highland Himalayas. Geophysical Research Letters, 27: Research objectives in the first phase

Cross-section of hourly precipitations along the Khumbu Valley: 31/ /09/03 Ueno, K., K. Toyotsu, L. Bertolani & G. Tartari Stepwise Onset Of Monsoon Weather Observed In The Nepal Himalayas. Moon. Wea. Rev Research objectives in the first phase Nepal standard time is 5 hours and 45 minuets advancing to UTC UTC mm/h Pyramid Pheriche Namche Nepal standard time is 5 hours and 45 minuets advancing to UTC

AWS locations of Pheriche and QOMS Comparative scatter of air temperature at Pheriche and QOMS Comparative studies in high altitude areas Research objectives in the first phase

Annual variations of air temperature and wind direction at Pheriche and QOMS Comparative studies between QOMolangma and Pheriche AWSs

Pyramid AWS, 5050 m asl Pheriche AWS 4260 m asl Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: temperature records Research objectives in the second phase

Lukla AWS, 2660 m asl Namche AWS, 3570 m asl Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: precipitation records Research objectives in the second phase

Lukla AWS, 2660 m asl Namche AWS, 3570 m asl Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: humidity records Research objectives in the second phase

Pheriche AWS 4260 m asl Pyramid AWS, 5050 m asl Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: pressure records Research objectives in the second phase

Pheriche AWS 4260 m asl Pyramid AWS, 5050 m asl Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: incoming radiation records Research objectives in the second phase

Khumbu Valley: basic statistical properties and stability Research objectives in the second phase

Vertical Temperature gradients is slightly lower than the average wet adiabatic tropospheric gradient of 6.5°C/1000m, as characteristic of subtropical, albeit high altitude, sites. Khumbu Valley: vertical lapse rate Research objectives in the second phase

At Urdukas (3926 m a.s.l.), katabatic winds coming down from the Baltoro glacier are evident during night and in the morning, when masses of cold, dense air drain down the higher elevation areas of the Baltoro. From late morning and early afternoon, this path is reversed, when masses of warmer, less dense air move upward (eastward). A few hours after sunset, the cycle restarts, quite sharply, around 8-9 PM. Karakorum stations: Askole and Urdukas Research objectives in the second phase Wind Direction and Speed

The same general behaviour is discernible at Askole (3015 m a.s.l.), whose AWS, though at much lower height, is located in the same valley and it is subject to a similar daily cycle. Karakorum stations: Askole and Urdukas Research objectives in the second phase Wind Direction and Speed

The Rwenzori AWS (4750 m asl, Uganda) Trigger of daily precipitation by heat- pump convection Ongoing work!

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