Peters introduction…

2007-08-20 14:48:36.000 – Peter Sciola,  Summit Intern

Our shadow being casted.

My first few days up here have been an incredible and unique experience. I am a recent graduate of Florida State University and this is my first meteorological experience in a professional setting. I arrived at the summit a day later than I had expected due the fact that I just returned from sunny, hot, beautiful Florida a couple days prior. As soon as I ascended to the summit I knew that I was in for a world of difference starting with temperatures in the lower fifties. Did I mention it was in the nineties every day in Florida? Other than the drastic temperature change that my body was dealing with, the summit staff and volunteers have made the start of my internship very comfortable. Questions are the key to becoming a skilled observer and summit observers are more than willing to answer any and all of them.

I didn’t arrive on the summit until Thursday afternoon but as soon as Friday rolled around I knew this is where I wanted to be. There was a buzz all around the observatory of a major weather change for the weekend. Observers were forecasting temperatures in the lower thirties for highs and winds around 55 to 65 mph with higher gusts for Saturday. There forecasts were spot on, not only were winds sustained in the sixties, but we also recorded a gust of 94 mph which was the highest wind speed that we have recorded all summer. I have never experienced anything even close to that in my lifetime. Then early on Sunday morning we came within .5° F of our record low for the day which was 29° F.

I awoke Sunday morning to a freezing mess of frigid temperatures and glaze ice. Life as an intern requires the replacement of an air filter on our AIRMAP project everyday. So as I headed up to the cold room, I knew that the glaze icing was going to be a problem. As I was hacking away at the ice with a crowbar, I couldn’t help but think to myself “We are still in the month of August right?”

It is very apparent to me that this is an experience that I will never forget and I am looking forward to the amazing and rewarding experience that lies before me.

Peter Sciola,  Summit Intern