Summit staff kept their annual tradition of displaying a Christmas tree topped with a 3-cup anemometer, this year in the Mount Washington State Park rotunda area. Photo by Alex Branton.

Dear *{{Informal Name}}*,

Happy Holidays from Mount Washington Observatory! As we head into a few weeks of time spent reflecting with family and friends, we thank you for supporting our efforts to expand access to transformative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) experiences for youth and educators across New England. You and our entire community of learners are at the heart of everything do.

As the STEM Programs Manager, in addition to leading field trips and school-based programs for youth, I facilitate the White Mountains Connected Learning Ecosystem (CLE). This professional learning group builds authentic connections between educators from classrooms, libraries, non-profits, museums, science centers, and beyond.

CLE educators not only learn and share together; they intentionally build connected learning opportunities for every child to succeed in a context that appeals most to them. The goal of our CLE is to engage youth in various contexts to support their STEM learning and enhance their climate and data literacy.

Read our new impact story to learn more about the important role your support plays through the White Mountains CLE and broader Learning Ecosystem Northeast initiative.

Because of your support, we’ve been able to create opportunities for educators across our region to engage with MWOBS’s professional development programs and with the NASA-supported Connected Learning Ecosystem.

In case you missed it earlier this week, this new video provides an overview of our exciting educational programs. Thank you so much for helping us create inspiring STEM learning experiences for so many teachers and students!

Sincerely,

Jackie Bellefontaine

STEM Programs Manager

P.S. The incredible generosity of our community has already helped us raise $303,434 toward our 2025 Year-End Campaign goal of $375,000. Two very generous donors have pledged to match all gifts to the Observatory received by December 31, up to $75,000. This is an excellent opportunity to double the impact of your gift!

NOVEMBER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

Highest Temperature

37°F 

Lowest Temperature

2°F

Fastest Wind Speed

124 MPH

Precipitation

11.49 IN

Complete monthly weather data can be viewed here. Check the Higher Summits Forecast for an extended weather outlook, and tune in to our Weekend Higher Summits Forecast discussion live on Facebook every Friday at 5:00 PM EST.

New Impact Story

Beyond the Classroom: STEM Learning Ecosystems and Community Partnerships

Observatory Launches New
Homeschool Educational Series

Calling all homeschoolers! Join our science educators for monthly learning opportunities this January through June. Based at our North Conway, NH location, the new Storm Scholars program offers immersive and collaborative classroom-like experiences, equipping both students and their home educators with the resources to deepen understanding of weather and climate sciences, geology, and biology.

A Note from a Storm Scouts Camp Parent

We will once again host our Storm Scouts: Extreme Weather Camp in summer 2026. Stay tuned for details.

OBS UPDATES

2025 Fall Internships Conclude

We are so grateful to have had Fall Interns Alyssa Bélanger, Antonio Ruiz Núñez, Mitchell Tsokatos, and Cassie Farnsworth join us for a season of learning on Mount Washington. Check out Mitchell and Alyssa’s farewell blogs as they summarize their experience and research, and stay tuned to hear from Antonio and Cassie.

Communications Internship Opportunity

Applications are open for our Joint Communications Internship in collaboration with the Appalachian Mountain Club and Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study. This role will lead the writing and science communications of the The White Mountains Almanac (2nd edition), working collaboratively with the three organizations and our research intern. Apply here.

Waumbek Station Webcams:

Live Streaming Views from the Cog Railway

Stay connected to Mount Washington anytime through our live-streaming weather cameras, including two new views from The Mount Washington Cog Railway’s Waumbek Station. One shows the expansive scene down the tracks, while the other brings you the changing conditions higher on the mountain.

Live view down the track (great for sunsets)

Live view up the tracks (great for sunrises)

SUMMIT SNAPSHOT

Nimbus showing off his gear from Peter Limmer & Sons, Minus33 Merino Wool, Burgeon Outdoor, and Eastern Mountain Sports.

Why I Give: Supporter Spotlight

UPCOMING EVENTS

Science in the Mountains: Forecasting for the Private Maritime Industry

Join us virtually on Tuesday, January 27 at 7:00 PM as Jeremy Davis, Weather Routing Inc.’s Director of Operations, presents private forecasting services for the maritime community, including sailing, yachting, and sportfishing clients. You’ll also hear about his firsthand experiences on a sailing adventure from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland, from the challenging weather to breathtaking natural sites. Register here.

PARTNERS SPOTLIGHT

Education Program Sponsors

We are incredibly grateful for the following organizations, whose generous support advances our educational programs on Mount Washington and in schools throughout the region, in addition to our library and archival spaces.

NASA

The National Science Foundation

Gordini Gloves

Cormack Construction

McLane Middleton

NH Environmental Educators

Camden National Bank

Bank of New Hampshire

The John D. McGonagle Foundation

Meredith Village Savings Bank

The Gladys Brooks Foundation

NH Electric Co-Op

Quigley Motor Company

The Dorr Foundation

The Kendal C and Anna Ham Foundation

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund

Zeb’s Charitable Foundation

The Berlin City Keep Driving Foundation

Northeast Federal Credit Union / Lighthouse Credit Union

Citizens Bank

The Pequawket Foundation

The Robert and Dorothy Goldberg Charitable Foundation

NEWSROOM

Mesonet and Information Systems Technician Colby Morris’ capture of a lenticular cloud over Mount Washington on Nov. 25 was shared across media channels like News Center Maine, WJAR, The Boston Globe, FUN 107, and WGME. In this video, WBZ-TV Meteorologist Eric Fisher highlights the photo and explains what creates these cloud formations.

More Stories about our Work

• WMUR shared our summit team’s photos of this year’s holiday tree and Nimbus with his winter gear.
• The White Mountains Almanac continues to generate highlights with various media, such as Valley News, NH Business Review, WMTW, NHPR, WGME, and CNHI.
• Weather Operations Manager Mike Carmon and Communications Manager Ellen Estabrook hosted ARD/NDR/German TV Senior Reporter Klaus Scherer for a highlight in a New England documentary, linked here (the Observatory’s feature starts at around 35:00). The English version will be released soon.
• Our team has begun weekly radio segments with The Pulse of NH, with the first two interviews being with Executive Director Drew Bush and Weather Observer/Education Specialist Alex Branton.
• The summit neared a snowfall record for the month of November, ultimately falling short of the 1968 record of 86.6 inches (the total for last month was 68.5″.) WMUR, The Boston Globe, News Center Maine, Outside Magazine, MassLive, and Fox Weather shared coverage from the snowy summit.
• Last week’s cold temperatures nearing daily record lows were covered by Northeast Explorer and CBS News.
• The Boston Globe highlighted our collaboration Nimbus socks by Minus33 Merino Wool in a recent gift highlight.
• In Mike Carmon’s latest “Atop the Rockpile” column in New Hampshire Union Leader, he highlights The White Mountains Almanac and the research and partnerships behind it.

Thank you very much if you have already made a year-end gift! Few nonprofit organizations are as reliant as the Observatory is on member support. You are with us during every winter storm, hourly observation, mountain forecast, and snow cat trip to the summit. Your gifts truly make our work possible.

Please send any feedback via email or call us at 603-356-2137. Mount Washington Observatory is a nonprofit research and educational institution. Consider advancing our mission with a gift today.