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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

2502, 2018

Glaze vs. Rime … What’s the Difference?

February 25th, 2018|Categories: Historical Posts|

Glaze vs. Rime ... What's the Difference? 2018-02-25 10:24:50.000 - Taylor Regan, Weather Observer   Up on the summit, we are no strangers to icing conditions. In fact, with an annual average temperature below freezing, and 2/3 of our days spent in the fog, it is arguably

2402, 2018

Days of Our Lives (On the Rockpile)

February 24th, 2018|Categories: Historical Posts|

Days of Our Lives (On the Rockpile) 2018-02-24 10:26:33.000 - Sarah Schulte, Summit Intern   I think the Mount Washington Observatory would make a decent setting for a soap opera. It has the potential for drama: a small group of people living in an icy tower teetering

2302, 2018

In Search of Snow!

February 23rd, 2018|Categories: Historical Posts|

In Search of Snow! 2018-02-23 16:19:03.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Education Specialist   With current snow depth reported at zero as of this writing, pretty much all of the summit staff (maybe not Marty) are wishing for some snow! Taking a very extended look out at the

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The Jefferson Snowfield

July 9th, 2017|Comments Off on The Jefferson Snowfield

The Jefferson Snowfield 2017-07-09 06:53:21.000 - Taylor Regan, Weather Observer   Up on the summit of Mount Washington, we are somewhat proud of the fact that we can see measureable snowfall in any month of

Out of This World Weather

July 7th, 2017|Comments Off on Out of This World Weather

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July 5th, 2017|Comments Off on Volunteering to Support MWO

Volunteering to Support MWO 2017-07-05 08:00:24.000 - Richard Briggs & Rich Atkins, Summit Volunteers   So now the time comes to get the ride up the mountain I am sitting in the parking lot at

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