Science in the Mountains
Science in the Mountains is a FREE year-round, virtual lecture program. Join Mount Washington Observatory staff each month as we bring experts from across the fields of weather, climate and beyond to the comfort of your home screen. Register for each lecture below.
This FREE series is hosted virtually 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, and we encourage you to connect early and come with questions!
October 27th at 6:30pm: The 2024 Solar Eclipse
John Gianforte, Director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, Astronomer, and Extension Associate Professor/Space Science Education, Youth & Family State Specialist
On April 8th, 2024, portions of the United States, including Northern New England, will experience a total solar eclipse when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the Sun. This will be the only total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States until 2044. Join Astronomer John Gianforte to learn more about the science behind this awe-inspiring phenomenon and how you can be a part of this experience of a lifetime.
Previous Programs
September 19th at 7pm: Secrets of the "Greatest Snow on Earth"
Dr. Jim Steenburgh, Professor, Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Utah
State license plates and tourism brochures boast that Utah ski areas receive the "greatest snow on Earth," but is there anything special about Utah's snow? Many argue that the "dryness" of the snow is key; however, snowfall in nearby Colorado and Wyoming can be just as dry. Join Dr. Jim Steenburgh, as he unpacks what characteristics of snow and Utah's climatology make the Wasatch a world-famous ski destination; why Little Cottonwood Canyon is a skier's but a very dangerous place for avalanches if Mother Nature is left to her own devices; and how climate change will ultimately affect the Greatest Snow on Earth.
August 15th at 7pm: Current MWOBS Research Updates
Karl Philippoff, Weather Observer/Research Specialist; Myah Rather, Summit Intern, Mount Washington Observatory
Join MWOBS research staff for our annual check-in on Observatory-led research projects featuring Weather Observer/Research Specialist Karl Philippoff and Summit Intern Myah Rather. Karl will provide an update on the ongoing Near-Surface Lapse Rate research project that is looking at how near-surface air temperatures vary with elevation on the eastern slopes of Mount Washington. Updates will also include average annual lapse rates, along with seasonal, monthly, and daily variations and how these data could be applied to hydrological and ecological research around the White Mountains region, as well as New England.
In other work, intern Myah Rather will provide a summary of her investigation of Rain on Snow (ROS) events on Mount Washington to determine if weather extremes are occurring more frequently. Additionally, Myah's work aims to study the seasonality of these changes on the summit of Mount Washington with an overall assessment of changes in weather averages on the summit. This study will investigate whether there is any change in average precipitation causing a shift in the ratio between rain and snow.
July 18th at 7pm: The Mount Washington Observatory Regional Mesonet: Meteorological Monitoring Across New Hampshire's White Mountains
Keith Garrett, Director of Technology; Jay Broccolo, Director of Weather Operations, Mount Washington Observatory
The Mount Washington Observatory Regional Mesonet (MWRM) is a network of 18 remote meteorological monitoring stations that record temperature and relatively humidity, with additional variables at many locations across the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Intense cold, high precipitation amounts, icing, and hurricane-force winds requires rugged instrumentation, an innovative radio-communications relay approach, and carefully selected sites that balance ideal measuring environments with station survivability. Join MWOBS Director of Technology Keith Garrett and Director of Weather Operations Jay Broccolo, to learn about the task of building and maintaining this network, and how data collected from the MWRM informs forecasters, recreationalists and researchers alike.
Contact
Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Education
(603) 356-2137, ext. 225
Email: education@mountwashington.org