Goodbye Summer, Hello Winter

2013-10-25 19:47:39.000 – Ryan Knapp,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist

Our wintry drive up Wednesday.

I always say the summit has two seasons – summer and winter; and our past two shifts are a perfect example of this. Our last shift (9 October through 16 October), temperatures were running some 10 to 15 degrees above normal. This meant that daytime highs were running in the 40s and 50s (Fahrenheit) with the overnight lows remaining in the upper 30s to mid-40s. Additionally, winds remained low (less than 20 mph the entire time we were here) and we were more clear than foggy with visibilities at roughly 130 miles nearly the entire shift. All in all, it felt more like the first week of August and not of October.

Flash forward to this week and the summit has made a complete reversal going from summer straight into winter. Temperatures are now running more seasonable or (as of tonight) some 10 to 15 degrees below normal. Winds have been running significantly higher with numerous gusts reaching hurricane force. And since arriving on Wednesday, we have remained socked in the clouds with visibility limited to 130 feet at best as rime ice and snow continue to accumulate on a daily basis. And looking ahead for the remainder of our shift week, it looks like things will remain this way. So, for now, goodbye summer and hello winter.

Ryan Knapp,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist