Goodbye MWOBS!

2019-05-19 07:20:25.000 – Chloe Boehm, Summit Intern

 

As my second internship comes to a close, I have had a chance to think upon all the incredible experiences I have had in the past 9 months. When I started my fall internship last August, I had no idea the unbelievable journey I was about to partake in. I was excited to have the chance to live in a remote location while also getting a chance to learn more about forecasting and conduct some research. I didn’t know I was going to experience 171 mph winds, 6 foot drifts of snow across the summit, sunrises and sunsets above a sea of clouds, freezing rain that made me feel like a glazed donut, deicing in over 100 mph winds, and so much more. I can safely say I got a pretty good taste of why Mount Washington is called “Home of the World’s Worst Weather”

 
As I prepare to head down the mountain today, the weather has decided to give me quite the sendoff. Considering it is the middle of May, one would not expect for the temperatures to be in the mid 20s with snow actively falling from the sky and 50 mph winds, but if I have learned anything, you can expect the weather to do anything. I had a chance to deice this morning, probably my favorite task that we have to do, hitting large blocks of glaze ice off the top of the tower and watching them shatter as they hit the ground. If anything, with a long harsh winter that started in October and hasn’t really ended, this honestly seems like the most appropriate conditions for my last day.

Through my internship, I cannot thank the summit staff enough for answering my questions, welcoming me into their home, and teaching me so much. The opportunity to write daily weather forecasts, learn how to record weather observations, give tours, and conduct a multi-faceted research project was invaluable and helped me decide to pursue further education in the field. I could not have done any of that without the observers. It is sad to leave a wonderful environment with great people but exciting to be moving on to a new chapter of my life where I will hopefully use the skills I have developed during my time here. I wish all the best for Taylor, Tom, Ryan, the new intern John, and the new museum attendant Nikki, and hope that I will have a chance to visit them all and the summit sometime this summer. To close out my last blog post, I want to share one of my favorite pictures I took during my internship of sunrise while the summit was sandwiched between clouds.

 

 

Chloe Boehm, Summit Intern

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