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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

2906, 2013

Stormy Weather

June 29th, 2013|Categories: Historical Posts|

Stormy Weather 2013-06-29 18:53:32.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Weather Observer A Pot of Gold at Nelson Crag? What a better time for lightning week than this week? Sandwiched between a high pressure system offshore, spinning clockwise, and a low pressure system to our northwest, spinning counterclockwise, the northeast

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2806, 2013

Lightning Week 2013 Continues!

June 28th, 2013|Categories: Historical Posts|

Lightning Week 2013 Continues! 2013-06-28 18:17:28.000 - Luke Davis,  Summit Intern Developing Storms East of the Carter-Moriah Range Yesterday's clouds, seen in the attached photo, may not have produced any thunderstorms in our vicinity, but it demonstrates just how chaotic the weather can be in the summer

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2606, 2013

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

June 26th, 2013|Categories: Historical Posts|

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors! 2013-06-26 17:56:21.000 - Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist Courtesy: National Weather Service This week we're expecting a conveyor belt of tropical moisture to continue to stream into our region as a cut-off low pressure system will churn over the Great Lakes well

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White Out Conditions on the Summit

March 7th, 2013|Comments Off on White Out Conditions on the Summit

White Out Conditions on the Summit 2013-03-07 17:39:25.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Summit Intern Photo taken by Volunteer Tim Myers of the cat ride Yesterday's snow cat ride up to the summit was one of the

Volunteer Comments

March 6th, 2013|Comments Off on Volunteer Comments

Volunteer Comments 2013-03-06 23:13:22.000 - Joe Kayan,  Summit Volunteer NULL My first winter shift as a volunteer is about to end tomorrow. After experiencing 4 or 5 spring and fall weeks here with the Observatory

Fog

March 5th, 2013|Comments Off on Fog

Fog 2013-03-05 17:11:06.000 - Rebecca Scholand,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL It has been a long week of fog settled on the summit. Since arriving Wednesday, we have only seen three hours without fog. Average visibility

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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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