Observer Comments

02:32 Tue Oct 7th

While the summit is experiencing an early 'Winter Wonderland', we hear from our sources that it is absolutely gorgeous fall weather down in that valley below. I say 'hear' because seeing into the valleys hasn’t been an option at all this week. That is, until this very hour. Granted, seeing the Sun at this hour (2300 EST) would be interesting, and it's not normal at this latitude. However, Mike has just come inside from doing the observation, and has claimed that it is clear as a bell out there, and told me to get outside. We will greet the Sun tomorrow morning with a mixture of relief and grief. It is always wonderful to wake up and watch the sunrise, especially when you have been deprived of sunsets all week (the sunset is easier to watch, since it occurs at a decent hour). However, the coming of the Sun means that a lot of the beautiful white landscape that has graced the summit this past week will melt or sublimate.

There is more good news. Looking at the forecast, it would seem that Tuesday and Wednesday will be gorgeous days, not only in the valley, but also on the summit. That means that shift change transportation should remain uncomplicated for the time being. We have dodged the Truck & Chains bullet this week, but living at the top of a Mountain that is famous for its fickleness and outright disregard for forecasts, we really don’t know how long we have until the chains are dusted off, and shift change starts occurring with a Snow Cat. Winter is on its way…

Stacey Kawecki – Observer

21:12 Sun Oct 5th

What light through yonder cloud breaks

Weather and Love

An unusual title for a comment, but now that my time living here on the summit is coming to an end, I realized that those two words sum up my experience here.

Mount Washington’s Summit has been called the home of the world’s worst weather, but I think it all depends on attitude. I love the weather changes and extremes that have been part of my life here. I arrived in May and my first day was clear, warm and one of the so called “perfect days“. When I came back four days later I had to borrow a down jacket, hat and gloves at the base garage. We drove up in four wheel drive and still had to stop to put chains on the tires of the F350 in order to get all the way up the Auto Rd. Heading back down the next day was more of the same only we had to plow through snow drifts to get to the base. I got out on the ride down to take some photos and fell into a drift so deep that I had to be pulled out! A great initiation for me! I have basked on the rocks in the sun on the clear days of summer, climbed the tower in 78mph wind in July, and been blown around on the ice covered deck in 60 mph wind in August while watching Mike deckboard on a piece of cardboard!. This week, my last this year, has been wonderfully exciting….. ice and snow, winds gusting to 94 mph, wind chill temps below 0, and the landscape blanketed in beautiful white. I loved it all.

But when I titled this comment Weather and Love, the love I’m writing about is the love I’ve developed for my “mountain family”. I live with the most wonderful people. They are considerate, funny, brilliant and all special in their own way. It’s been so much fun living with Stacey, Mike, Steve, Jeff, Jordan, Kyle, Lisa,Dennis, and Marty, the Cat.

Because of our different schedules, dinnertime, when we are all together and served delicious meals by our great volunteers, is the best time of the day. It’s always a great time with lots of interesting conversation, interruptions to go out to see the sunsets, and usually belly busting laughter. There have been many more magical moments too……. Like at 4am when I feel a tap on my shoulder and roll over to see Mike (the night observer) standing near my bunk with sparkling eyes, telling me to get up because the sunsrise is going to be extra special and then standing on the deck with him and hearing him whisper “Thank you sun, for coming back again this morning” Or when the interns come down to get me (the shop and museum are in the basement of the Sherman Adams Building) and tell me to get outside to appreciate the clouds and light, while they watch the shop for me. Or standing outside on the deck or tower to see the undercast with my summit family and feeling like we are alone on an island in the clouds, or star gazing at night. The visits from sweet Stacey when one of us just needs a little “girl talk” and tagging along with her in snow and wind to check the precip can. Or Steve telling me in his British accent to get out to experience the high winds…but no singing or dancing. What a wonderful crew, or shift as it’s called here. It’s been a privilege and joy to be part of the MWO summit staff. I love them!

PS I have also enjoyed getting to know all of the staff of the Mount Washington Observatory, both on the other shift and down in our headquarters in North Conway. We’ve had some great times together. And to BB, my supervisor…you’ve been great. Thank you.

Also thank you to all of the State Employees for your friendship and hospitality. It’s been real!

Deb Mastro – Museum Attendant

12:18 Sat Oct 4th

Rime Ice On Deck Telescope

It’s really starting to feel like winter has arrived on the summit. Over the past three days we have accumulated just over three inches of snow along with lots of rime and glaze ice. The temperatures have been falling steadily and the winds have been noticeably stronger, gusting up to 94 mph yesterday evening. We’ve dug out all our winter clothing and started de-icing instruments each hour. This morning we were out shoveling snow away from the deck doors and the top of the parapet. It’s been several months since we’ve had to clear snow and it was really nice to be out in the cool air once again. No doubt these conditions won’t last too long, as warmer air is expected later in the week, but it certainly is a taste of things to come. Everyone up here is certainly looking forward to the coming winter season!

Observer Note: Are you interested in photography? Then check out the MWO Fall Fundraiser “Make The Picture: News Photography Under Extreme Conditions” to be held Portsmouth, NH on Oct. 18th with Boston Globe photographer Bill Greene. For more information, click here.

Steve Welsh – IT Observer

18:24 Fri Oct 3rd

First Turns of the Season!

I woke up just after noon today, but knowing I was going to be up until 6 AM tomorrow, felt I should get a bit more sleep. I rolled back over, couldn't seem to fall back to sleep. Around one I decided it was time to get up, so I threw on my snow pants and went up stairs. As depicted in a previous comment, the windows are covered in a solid layer of glaze ice with rime ice building on top of that, so I was unable to see outside. I was soon told however that it had snowed nearly two inches since I had gone to bed and that Mike and Diane were out skiing the parking lots. I hurriedly put on my plastic boots, threw on my outerwear, and grabbed my snowboard to go make my first turns of the season. I knew there was a reason I left the board and boots up here after my last turns made nearly three months ago to the day.

Mike and Diane were both coming in grinning from ear to ear. Mike joked saying I was too late, but I knew that was not true. The wind was blowing hard enough that things would be drifted in in no time. I strapped in and made the first few turns down the hill. The snow on the sides was 2-4" deep and was a loose granular on top of a glaze and rime base, preventing me from hitting pavement. Although the run lasted only a fraction of a minute, it was worth every second! There really isn't anything quite like sliding effortlessly downhill. I spent the next hour lapping this little section of the parking lots (riding is prohibited on the Auto Road), thoroughly enjoying every ride down and hike up. I then returned home, beard covered in rime and giddy as could be.

I love winter...time to go deice!

Observer Note: Are you interested in photography, especially that in extreme conditions? Attend the MWO Fall Fundraiser Oct. 18th with speaker Bill Greene. For more information, click here.

Mike Finnegan – IT Observer

17:23 Thu Oct 2nd

The last 24 hours have been very exciting from a meteorological standpoint. Yesterday afternoon we had hail from some thunderstorms in the area. It was foggy and rainy overnight, and the temperature was just above freezing this morning. As it fell throughout the day, rain turned to icy precipitation of all sorts, including our first snow of the season. We were kept busy all morning figuring out what type of precipitation was falling from the sky, and whether anything was even falling at all. Since midnight last night, we have recorded rain, hail, ice pellets, freezing rain, snow, snow grains, freezing drizzle, glaze ice, and rime ice. The weather room windows iced over early this morning, so we have had to venture out more often than our hourly observations in order to keep an accurate record of the conditions. Also, tower deicing has been an hourly activity. We recorded only 0.3 inches of snow, and most of it has blown away or fallen between rocks, so the summit is not by any means snow-covered. However, a good pile of snow drifted against the observation deck wall.

Today was my first experience with rime ice on the summit, which I have been awaiting eagerly since May. We had glaze ice for most of the day, but with temperatures falling to around 20 degrees tonight, the light and fluffy rime should be plentiful. This was my first rime on the summit, but it's not the first time I have seen rime ice - I encountered similar conditions once while hiking Camel's Hump on a snowy winter day.

Looking at the forecast, tomorrow should be even more exciting than today, with more snow and higher wind speeds. In fact, according to the current forecast, we won't see temperatures above freezing until next Monday or Tuesday. The unfortunate downside of all this fog and snow, however, is that we don't get to see the fall foliage. The leaves were just becoming brilliant when we last saw trees on Wednesday morning, and hopefully we will get a glimpse of them from up here before they are all gone.

Jeff Wehrwein – Summit Intern

09:41 Wed Oct 1st

As one of two volunteers here at the Mount Washington Observatory, I have spent this past week at an observatory observing the observers observe. This got me to asking, 'just what does it mean 'to observe.'' The online dictionary (Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.1) provided the following as one of the definitions of 'observe'--'to regard with attention so as to see or learn something.' What have I learned in this time observing on the rockpile?

I have learned about clouds, barometric pressure, fog, wind, and rain, to list a few. More importantly I learned about what it truly means to observe. If there was a hint of a possibility of a sunrise or sunset, Brian or Ryan, the observers, would alert us. Sharon, the museum attendant, would take us to gather on the rocks and watch the sky as the pinks, oranges, golds, and blues emerged, the clouds and fog shifted, and the big ball on the horizon would slowly creep up or down. Often, Mike, the intern, and other summit workers would join us. A newby, like me, would of course, exclaim in wonder and awe at the colorful sight. Perhaps more moving to me though, was when I observed the seasoned summit workers--folks who have lived through hundreds of such sights. These folks would continue to gather for a glimpse of this spectacle as well--and exclaim in awe and remark on specific details with wonder. I tend to move quickly through the world and I have little patience for details. Yet, sitting with these seasoned observers, experiencing their awe and respect for the changing horizon, landscape, and environment around us, finding something new in each experience, my eyes were opened to the varieties of color, light, sounds, and textures in our world. In these daily spontaneous gatherings, I began to slow down and notice the details, and my awe and sense of connection to this world deepened.

Dictionary.com v.1.1 provided another definition of 'observe'--'to show regard for by some appropriate procedure or celebration.' Perhaps it's time I find an 'appropriate procedure or celebration,' for taking the time to really see and show regard for this beautiful world we live in.

Thank you so much to Brian, Ryan, Mike, and Sharon for sharing your home and your wisdom and insight!

Susan Gibson

Summit Volunteer – Summit Volunteer