Changeable Weather

2012-06-23 23:07:38.000 – Brian Clark,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist

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As is often the case on Mount Washington, today’s weather started very differently than it ended. When I started my shift just before 6 o’clock this morning, only mid and high level clouds covered the sky above us. It was only a few hours later though that convection around the mountain started in the form of a few random towering cumulus, and the by midday cumulus clouds were building up all around us. The rest of the day saw numerous showers, a brief period of small hail, and several close calls with passing thunderstorms. Although this weather pattern made for a very interesting day as far as weather observations go, it did not bode well for some visitors that we had this evening.

Today was the annual Minis on Top event, where a couple hundred Mini Cooper owners gather at the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road, and then drive to the top in hopes of viewing a beautiful Mount Washington sunset. Those hopes were unfortunatey dashed tonight by fog and rain.

As quickly as the weather turned around today, it should turn back again by tomorrow morning. This means that the mountain will make up for depriving the Mini Cooper owners of a sunset tonight by (likely) providing a visible sunrise tomorrow morning for folks that take advantage of tomorrow’s Mount Washington Auto Road Sunrise Drive.

Brian Clark,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist