Extreme Mountain

2014-10-21 12:19:00.000 – Christine Welsh, Summit Museum Attendant

Here, on top of the tallest terra firma in the northeast United States, dedicated weather observers, who were thought at the time to be stark raving mad, measured a wind speed of an astonishing 231 miles per hour. That was in 1934. Today, while most folks work Monday through Friday 9-5, our weather observers work around the clock for a week at a time continuing the Mount Washington Observatory’s mission of recording hourly weather data, and eagerly awaiting the next great meteorological phenomenon.

Mount Washington is proud to call itself home to the worst weather in the world. Yet, while the observers are braving wind and ice both day and night, the extreme weather we boast of can be hard for visitors to comprehend when they arrive at the summit and are warmly greeted with mild temperatures, clear skies, and a gentle breeze. Thus, the addition of the new museum:Extreme Mount Washington, MWObs’ tribute to the weather and a fun-filled learning experience for all ages. From the warmth and safety of inside the Sherman Adams Building, guests have seen a bobcat and driven a snowcat. They have watched videos about rescues, rime ice and the dangers faced while de-icing equipment in the dead of winter.

The season is drawing to a close for the Extreme Museum (and for me, the museum attendant) but the extreme weather is just picking up and the observatory’s weather folks will not be stopped. It has been a great inaugural season and a true pleasure listening to your summit adventure stories. I hope we will see you all again next summer, and if you can’t wait until then, click the link to sign up for one of our winter trips!

Christine Welsh, Summit Museum Attendant