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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

2612, 2017

Christmas on the Summit

December 26th, 2017|Categories: Historical Posts|

Christmas on the Summit 2017-12-26 22:21:05.000 - Adam Gill, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   Here at the Observatory, we operate 24/7 so some of us have to work for the holidays. This Christmas, it was Tom Padham, Caleb Meute, and I. Christmas on the summit is a quite

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2212, 2017

Snowed in at 6288′

December 22nd, 2017|Categories: Historical Posts|

Snowed in at 6288' 2017-12-22 14:44:08.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Education Specialist   It’s already been a very snowy start to our winter season on the summit of Mount Washington, and that trend looks to continue to end out 2017. The summit was actually just over a

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April Showers Bring…Record Snowstorms!?

May 15th, 2017|Comments Off on April Showers Bring…Record Snowstorms!?

April Showers Bring...Record Snowstorms!? 2017-05-15 17:41:41.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Education Specialist   May is generally a month when we start to think about the warmer days of summer and maybe even spending time at

What is a Cutoff Low?

May 11th, 2017|Comments Off on What is a Cutoff Low?

What is a Cutoff Low? 2017-05-11 14:32:00.000 - Nathan Flinchbaugh, Summit Intern   It certainly has been a rather damp, dreary and cool start to the month of May over nearly the entire Northeast this

From One Extreme to Another

May 8th, 2017|Comments Off on From One Extreme to Another

From One Extreme to Another 2017-05-08 23:24:15.000 - Caleb Meute, Weather Observer / Meteorologist   Summertime preparations have begun here at the Observatory, as highlighted by Mike and Adam earlier this shift. We are preparing

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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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