Mount Jefferson, shortly after sunrise on March 5.

Dear Member,

After having run and hiked up Mount Washington numerous times, my first trip in the snowcat as a new Observatory staff member was an amazing experience. It was a gorgeous bluebird day with almost no wind, and I felt a special pride to be joining this wonderful, dedicated team and community.

That day was quite different from my memorable first week in the office, when our summit team saw incredibly strong winds and record-low temperatures. For me, a highlight was that German TV also covered the Observatory’s work during the Feb. 3-4 storm, which meant that my friends and family there saw the unique place where I now work!

In addition to the Observatory’s commitments to weather observation, research, and education, this place is very much about community – a very special community that shares many of the same values and priorities.

I am very excited to put an emphasis on community-building in my new role. This of course includes our annual Seek The Peak hike-a-thon in July, focused on bringing our supporters together at our Apres Hike Party and with our new “HAMF” initiative: Hike And Make Friends. You can learn more and register here.

If you have any questions or ideas, or want to help with Seek the Peak and other community-building events, please contact me anytime. I would love to hear from you.

So happy and proud to be part of the MWOBS community!

Cheers,

Andrea Masters

Director of Development

Andrea in April 2019, skinning up Wildcat Mountain.

MARCH WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

Highest Temperature

33 °F 

Lowest Temperature

-7 °F

Fastest Wind Speed

121 MPH

Precipitation

3.7 IN

This information is current as of March 25. Complete monthly weather data can be viewed here. 

SCIENCE IN THE MOUNTAINS

The Aurora Borealis and Atmospheric Optics

From breathtaking northern lights to the ghostly Brocken spectre, Mount Washington is ideal for viewing atmospheric optics. On Tues., April 11 at 7:00 p.m., join our Science in the Mountains virtual lecture as Dr. Lourdes Avilés, Plymouth State University professor of meteorology, unpacks the science behind aurora and other visual displays. Avilés will be joined by Observatory Meteorologist Ryan Knapp, who will share his experiences photographing atmospheric optics. Reserve your spot!

Our Science in the Mountains virtual lecture series continues to be free and open to anyone on Zoom or Facebook, thanks to our supporters, with all program recordings available on our website.

Re-Tracing February’s Arctic Air Mass and Record Cold 

It took 89 years, but as the headlines have reported, the Observatory matched its all-time record low temperature of -47 °F on Feb. 4. In Francis Tarasiewicz’s new Observer Comment, he reviews the meteorology behind this historic event. Did the summit make it into the stratosphere? Read more to find out.

Rover, Pet Care Services Firm, Publishes Blog about Nimbus

Our resident summit cat was recently profiled in a blog by Rover, covering his companionship, personality, work as chief mouser, and just about everything you might want to know about Nimbus and the role he plays at our weather station. It’s purrfect timing, since Nimbus celebrated his third birthday on March 19. Read more.

Opportunities to Join Our Team

Interested in joining a team dedicated to research and education in the White Mountains? We’d love to hear from you! The Observatory is currently seeking applicants for several positions: Membership and Events Coordinator, AmeriCorps School Programs Educator, and Administrative Assistant. Learn more.

Register for Seek the Peak!

Our largest annual fundraiser will be held Sat., July 15, featuring a classic hike-a-thon and Apres Hike Party. For the first time ever, individuals have the option to be matched with other participants of similar ability levels. Learn more and register today at seekthepeak.org.

In the News: Observatory Featured by WMTW

WMTW News 8 produced two stories about the Observatory as part of their ‘Forecasting our Future’ series, featuring our work creating custom wind sensors for Mount Everest and studying Mount Washington’s evolving climate.

We are also excited to share that Nancy Chen of CBS Mornings recently visited the Observatory. Her story is planned to air on Tues., March 28 in the 8:00 a.m. hour.

Eastern Mountain Sports Visits Mount Washington

EMS photo.

Eastern Mountain Sports and Observatory leaders visited the summit on March 10 for a weather station tour and creative discussion in an inspiring setting. EMS is our official outfitter, and we’re thankful for their hard work to help our staff withstand the summit’s extreme conditions. We’re working on some exciting new collaborative projects and can’t wait to share more in the near future. Stay tuned!

Shown above are MWOBS Director of Weather Operations Jay Broccolo, left, MWOBS Director of Development Andrea Masters, EMS Executive Vice President and GMM Kerry Muricchio, MWOBS Executive Director Drew Bush, MWOBS Transportation Coordinator Jon Powers, EMS Head of eCommerce Patrick O’Malley, EMS Executive Chairman Barry Moat, and MWOBS Director of Communications Charlie Buterbaugh.

Thank you to our sponsors…

Thank you for reading this newsletter. Please send any feedback via email. Mount Washington Observatory is a nonprofit research and educational institution. Our work in mountain meteorology and climate science relies on your financial support. Consider advancing our mission with a donation today.