New Hampshire’s First LiDAR Scanning Technology Installed in Bretton Woods

High-resolution wind and boundary layer analysis will offer new insights across complex terrain

Bretton Woods, NH— In early January, representatives from Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS), Vaisala, and the Omni Mount Washington Resort collaborated to install New Hampshire’s first ground-based scanning LiDAR. The Vaisala WindCube 200S Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR), located at Bretton Woods, kicks off an exciting new era of high-resolution wind and boundary layer analysis across complex terrain.

“This piece of technology will dramatically enhance our scientific work, enabling us to map a 3D profile of the atmosphere,” Drew Bush, MWOBS Executive Director, said. “It can be used to improve forecasting, to be a platform for research for our partners, and we’re thrilled to put it to use, better serving all of the communities with whom we work.”

Adding to the comprehensive data collected by the Observatory’s Mountain Washington Regional Mesonet, a network of automated stations continuously collecting weather data, the scanning Doppler LiDAR will enable reliable monitoring of atmospheric parameters such as wind, turbulence, clouds, and aerosols from a unit situated at ~1,600 feet in elevation.

“This doppler scanner is monumental for our wind, cloud, and general lower-atmosphere studies, especially regarding the boundary layer, which heavily influences Mount Washington’s uniquely extreme weather,”  Jay Broccolo, MWOBS Director of Weather Operations, said.

The boundary layer (PBL, Planetary Boundary Layer) is the lowest part of the atmosphere, directly influenced by the Earth’s surface, where winds, temperature, and turbulence respond to surface heating, cooling, friction, and terrain on timescales of minutes to hours.

“The scanner will allow MWOBS to essentially send a laser beam upward through the lower atmosphere, often several kilometers up under favorable conditions, so that we can build a three-dimensional picture of how winds move through and over the mountains, something we have not previously been able to capture with continuous, high-resolution observations,” Broccolo explained.

The device features a range of scanning patterns, angles, speeds, and modes, making 360-degree data available for almost nine miles—including over the summit of Mount Washington. The benefits of this data are far-reaching, from enhanced forecasts and safety for visitors, to scientific advancements to better understand one of the most unique environments on Earth. For example, the WindCube will make it possible for the Observatory and its research partners to study how the height of the boundary layer changes with different weather patterns, and what the wind field looks like before it interacts with the Presidential Range terrain.

“We are very pleased that the Omni Mountain Washington Resort was able to work with the Mount Washington Observatory on finding an ideal location for the first ground-based 3D doppler in the State of New Hampshire,” Michael Medeiros, Managing Director  of the Omni Mount Washington Resort, said. “The Resort values its relationship with the Observatory and we are excited to utilize the information provided by the radar along with our consistent use of the Mesonet system and other forecasting information the Obs provides.”

The installation contributes to the Observatory’s role as a world-class destination for research and increases accessibility of data for researchers and the public. Following training on configuration, data systems, and output, MWOBS plans to share data through the Observatory’s website for public use.

The expansion is made possible by a Congressionally Directed Spending request by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, with generous installation support by Bretton Woods Ski Area/Omni Mount Washington Resort.

Contact:
Ellen Estabrook, Communications Manager
(603) 356-2137, ext. 223
eestabrook@mountwashington.org

####

About Mount Washington Observatory:

Mount Washington Observatory is a private, nonprofit, member-supported institution with a mission to advance understanding of the natural systems that create Earth’s weather and climate. It serves this mission by maintaining a weather station on the summit of Mount Washington, performing weather and climate research, conducting innovative science education programs, and interpreting the heritage of the Mount Washington region. Our summit facility is located within Mount Washington State Park. For more information, call 603-356-2137 or visit mountwashington.org.