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2011-04-23 19:56:39.000 – Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist

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Mid week (which for the rest of the world is the weekend) has arrived on the summit-blown in by the winds of change, or at least a strong southerly flow. Winds have been steadily increasing all day and will likely continue on that trend. Yesterday’s calm and warmth is like the remnants of a bittersweet dream, fleeting and gossamer-like on the memory. It is 16 degrees, blowing about 60 mph, gusty, and snowing. Visibility has gone from an exquisite 110 miles to a mere 150 feet.

You might want to whine and say ‘But, it’s April!’. That’s the time for daffodils and generally warm temperatures. One might recall the old adage ‘April showers bring May flowers’-April is traditionally a wet month. When you’re 6,288 feet above sea level, April is often a cold, wet, month. Spring time doesn’t really exist on Mount Washington. Remember, it was a mere 4 years ago that the Patriot’s Day Storm dumped feet of snow on the summit, with winds growling at over 150 mph. April is a transition month. It is a month during which most of the snow pack can melt over a two day period, but be completely replenished by one well-placed storm.

Today’s snow will be replaced by a mix and then rain as temperature soars into the upper thirties by tonight. Snow will melt and the cycle will begin again. Besides the continuously changing weather, there is another transition in the air. Next week is our intern’s last (Dave) and then we get the fresh-faced summer interns. Pretty soon the Sherman Adams Building will be open, along with the Cog Railway and the Mount Washington Auto Road. Summer season and new faces will be flooding the summit much like the melting snow will be later tonight. Now if only we could have some calm weather…

Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist