Science in the Mountains
Science in the Mountains is a FREE year-round, in-person* and virtual lecture program (*note: some programs may be virtual only). Join Mount Washington Observatory staff as we bring experts from across the fields of weather, climate and beyond to the comfort of your home screen and out in the community. Register for each lecture below.
This FREE series is always hosted virtually (and in-person when possible) by Mount Washington Observatory using Zoom, and streams live on the Observatory’s Facebook Page. Recordings of each program are available the day after they air on MWO’s YouTube channel and below. See the upcoming schedule to find the link to register for each program:
Upcoming Schedule
All programs begin at 7pm unless otherwise indicated. During the warmer months programs will be hosted in-person in North Conway Village, and throughout New England where possible. If you’re joining us virtually, we encourage you to connect early and come with questions!
Previous Programs
Thursday, August 14th, 2025 at 7:00pm: Active Research at Mount Washington Observatory
Mike Carmon, Summit Weather Operations Manager; Summit Interns: Ryan Haas, Madelynn Smith, Max Sasser, & Amber Stokes
The summit of Mount Washington is renowned for its meteorological extremes. This leaves our researchers striving to gain insight into the mechanisms that drive these extremes. Join us this month to hear more about our research at Mount Washington Observatory, and our summer intern research projects, which include analyses of extreme precipitation events on Mount Washington, and the atmospheric factors that may be driving them. We’ll also delve into summer thunderstorm trends in the White Mountains, as well as an investigation into the predictors of New England’s world-renowned fall foliage.
Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 at 7:00pm: Now & Then: A History of the Mt Washington Carriage Road and Glen Houses
Howie Wemyss, Former Mt. Washington Auto Road General Manager & Glen House Partner
Curious about the history of the Mount Washington Carriage Road and the Glen House hotels? Join Howie Wemyss, former general manager of the Mt Washington Auto Road and partner in the new Glen House hotel for a richly illustrated journey from the earliest days in Greens Grant in the 1850s to the opening of the 5th version of the Glen House in 2018.
Tuesday, April 8th, 2025, at 7:00pm: Active Weather & Climate Research at Mount Washington Observatory
Peter Edwards, Frank Vazzano, Mees Fransen, Marin MacDonald
Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) works to advance understanding of the natural systems that create Earth’s weather and climate through its around the clock weather operations and by developing and offering innovative educational programs. Last but certainly not least, MWOBS engages in original, collaborative, and hosted research. Join us this month to learn about three current research projects focused on mountain-generated snow events, snowpack hydrology, and the development of a “Climate Almanac” in partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 7:00pm: Eyes on the Sky: Watching the Weather with Mountain Rain or Snow
Meghan Collins, MS, Associate Research Scientist, Desert Research Institute
What is falling from the sky right now? Join us to hear about Mountain Rain or Snow, a project welcoming weather observers to help track cold weather storms.
It’s notoriously difficult to track winter precipitation in the mountains because it can vary over the course of minutes and across short distances. Normally, we think of snow falling at air temperatures below 32°F – but in the world of weather forecasting, that isn’t always the case. We can sometimes see snow falling at several degrees above freezing! And as residents of the northeast know, it can also be difficult to predict freezing rain. Direct observations, made by people, are the most accurate way to update the technologies that drive our weather forecasts.
