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Mount Washington Observatory

Citizen Science Puts Weather Reporting in Your Hands

A distant shower falls over Mount Martha, NH (aka, Cherry Mountain). 
If you’re anything like me, you probably have an app or two dedicated to weather on your phone. Maybe you have a preferred app for weather forecasts, another for radar data, and yet another for satellite data. Or maybe instead of apps, you have several go-to websites bookmarked for various weather data.
Weather information keeps us informed so that we can prepare appropriately for the weather ahead, short-term or long-term. With colder weather in the forecast, we might pack a few extra layers or pull in a few more logs for the stove. Or, we might receive a warning about a severe storm heading your direction, and so we pack up, head indoors, and keep an eye on its progress.
While your favorite apps or websites might be providing you with weather data, did you know there are a few apps/sites that you can utilize and provide current weather data to aid in research as a citizen scientist?
Here are some apps that I have on my phone and might be of interest to you:
Mountain Rain or Snow
Remote sensing is improving and aiding in filling weather data gaps. However, precipitation phase changes can be difficult over mountainous terrain, and weather stations only provide information at a static location. That is where human observations aid in detailing how precipitation phase changes vary in time and space. Using these apps, with a few taps you can send observations of precipitation during storms at your location.
Forecasting
NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory is collecting weather reports through the free app mPING. What’s “mPING?” It is an acronym for Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground. The data in turn help define the precipitation that is falling at your location and improve forecasts and radar techniques. That in turn filters down to improve those various other weather apps you might be using for forecasts and radar data.
Cloud Types and Sky Conditions 
GLOBE Observer Clouds can be used to observe clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, and trees. With the cloud observation aspect, you can help document cloud cover, cloud types, cloud opacity, sky conditions, visibilities, and surface conditions along with photographic examples. It is a bit more involved than the prior reporting apps, but with a few taps and snaps, you can contribute your real-world observations for better understanding and interpretation of satellite data vs surface data.

Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer & Meteorologist

908, 2019

A Chilly August Weekend Ahead

August 9th, 2019|Categories: Historical Posts|

A Chilly August Weekend Ahead 2019-08-09 09:50:28.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Education Specialist   The weekend ahead looks to feature some of the first “fall-like” weather on the summit, even though the calendar only reads mid-August! There’s even a chance we could see our first freezing temperatures

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408, 2019

My Summer Internship In Review

August 4th, 2019|Categories: Historical Posts|

My Summer Internship In Review 2019-08-04 17:49:27.000 - Ethan Rogers, Summit Intern   “It just doesn’t feel real”. That was my reaction after learning that I had been offered a position as an intern for the summer here on Mt. Washington. I was about to work at

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Mount Washington Observatory is a nonprofit research and educational institution working to advance understanding of Earth’s weather and climate.

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The First Snow, And How It Happened

October 15th, 2018|Comments Off on The First Snow, And How It Happened

The First Snow, And How It Happened 2018-10-15 06:04:08.000 - Christopher Hohman, Observer/Staff Meteorologist   Hello there everyone, we’ve had quite the week up here on the summit of Mount Washington. We are more than

Fall Season Information

October 7th, 2018|Comments Off on Fall Season Information

Fall Season Information 2018-10-07 11:05:57.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   October has arrived, the month when the summit typically sees warm and muggy summer-like weather giving way to cold and snowy winter-like weather.

What Time is It?

October 5th, 2018|Comments Off on What Time is It?

What Time is It? 2018-10-05 12:27:54.000 - Taylor Regan, Weather Observer and Research Specialist   After doing some analysis of our historic records, I was pretty interested to find reference to something called “local mean

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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 weather station is located  on the summit of Mount Washington  in New Hampshire, at Mount Washington State Park.

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Did you know you can text ‘weather’ and ‘forecast’ to 603-356-2137 for current weather and conditions?
Alternatively, you can enable our Historical Weather Alexa Skill, or our Alexa Flash Briefing Audio forecast.

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