The first white brushstrokes arrived in advance on the Alps. While autumn took hold, the Stelvio National Park received his first snowfall: an event immortalized on September 29, 2025 from Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellitea spatial eye of the European Union dedicated to the monitoring of the earth.
The high resolution image does not portray only a spectacular landscape. For the Stelvio, one of the largest and most important protected areas in Europe, snow is not a simple aesthetic question: it is a vital element that affects the hydrology, climate and health of ecosystems.
The key role of the snow for the Alps
The Stelvio National Park It extends between South Tyrol, Trentino and Lombardy And embraces a vast alpine landscape characterized by high peaks, different forms of life and, above all, by glaciers.
The first snow that falls in late September is essential for the mountain life cycle. Acts as a protective layer, called perennial snow, that isolates the underlying glaciers. During the summer, this snow reflects sunlight, drastically slowing down the melting rate and preserving the integrity of the ice. For glaciers, threatened by climate change, timeliness and quantity of autumn and winter snowfalls represent a crucial survival factor.
Berge des Nationalpark stylfserjoch im herbstschnee! The mountains of the Stelvio National Park under the snow …
Posted by Nationalpark Stilfserjoch / Stelvio National Park on Wednesday, Octaber 1, 2025
Snow is also the Alpine Water Reserve par excellence. Its accumulation, constantly monitored, provides essential data for the management of hydrogeological risk and for water supply downstream, influencing streams, streams and alpine lakes.
Biodiversity and environmental monitoring
Thanks to its morphological variety and the remarkable altimetric differences, the Stelvio hosts a very rich biodiversity. From coniferous forests to high altitude pastures, the park is a vital area for species such as ibex and the chamoiswhose balance depends closely on the climatic conditions and snowy coverage.
The observation of the snowy mantle through i Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites It provides precise data researchers on seasonal extension and dynamics. This information, which is freely accessible for scientific use, are precious for climate studies, allowing to measure the impact of environmental changes on the fragile alpine ecosystem in real time.
