On March 23, the 66th World Meteorological Day,meteorologists at the Amdo Weather Station in Nagqu City, Xizang Autonomous Region, continued their daily observations, recording wind, frost, rain and snow on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau from the world's highest manned weather station.

Established in 1965, the station, at an altitude of 4,800 meters, is known as the "No.1 weather station in the world."

At 8 a.m., it was still dark and bitterly cold outside. Nyima, a staff member at the Amdo Meteorological Office, put on her down jacket and gloves, grabbed a flashlight, and went to the observation field to extract the tube for measuring frozen soil depth.

Reading the scale under the flashlight, she said, "Two meters," and then carefully recorded it.

Frozen soil serves as a foundation of the plateau's ecosystem, and its changes provide direct evidence of climate shifts. Measuring it is part of the station's daily routine.

Nyima joined the station in 2019 after graduating from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology. Originally from Rinbung County, Xigaze City, 800 meters lower in altitude, she has worked here for seven years.

"Working at high altitude for a long time takes a toll on the body. Headaches, chest tightness, and insomnia are common," she said. "But the real challenge is equipment maintenance."

The county has 29 automatic weather stations, the farthest of which is over 500 kilometers away. Known for strong winds, frequent snow, and prolonged cold, Amdo sees a high rate of equipment failures.

"We now monitor station operations remotely. But once a failure occurs, we must go there immediately," Nyima explained. Field trips can last from one to several days, and emergency repairs in extreme weather are common.

Meteorological data must be representative, accurate, and comparable—each piece holds significant value.

Amdo experiences complex weather, requiring year-round precautions against wind and lightning.

The area sees over 140 days a year with gales above level 8,extreme temperatures as low as -43.2℃, over 90 days of thunderstorms, and 70 days of hail annually.

This data forms the primary source for ecological protection on the Plateau. It tracks climate change in river source areas and supports ecosystem health in northern Sanjiangyuan National Park, contributing to the ecological security and long-term development in downstream basins.

It also ensures travel safety. Meteorologists issue weather reports and alerts to assist road clearance on the Qinghai-Xizang Highway and safe operations on the Qinghai-Xizang Railway.

Sixty-one years ago, Chen Jinshui, the station's first director, pitched a tent at the southern foot of the Tanggula Mountain and recorded the first set of meteorological data there. Today, eight young meteorologists carry on his legacy, monitoring climate change on the Plateau.

Reporter: Jiang Mengchen, Zhou Yulong, Huang Yaoman

Translator: Yang Xiaofeng, Luo Rongting

Review: Hu Rongguo, Drakpa Wangchen