High Winds and Blowing Snow
2014-02-15 18:45:51.000 – Mike Dorfman, Weather Observer
That Isn’t a Small Shovel-That’s a Big Drift!
This week has been fun so far! Walking through the rotunda yesterday, I could see blowing snow streaming off of one side of the window. When I say blowing snow, I’m not talking about this whisps of snow in the air- the amount of snow that hit that window probably would have filled a 5-gallon bucket in one or two minutes. To get a better sense of the power of this blowing snow, take a look at the photo to the right of this comment. There was a crack about the width of a dime on the edge of the window, and the pile of snow that managed to push its way through this crack was about three feet high!
As winds ramped up towards the 100 mph mark, I was keeping my eyes glued to the database for another shot at the ‘Century Club.’ For those of you unfamiliar with the Century Club, you can get all the details in one of my previous comments, but the general idea is walking around the deck without falling down in sustained 100 mph winds. After getting beaten up by winds a few months ago in my first attempt at the Century Club, I took advantage of another brief window of sustained 100 mph winds yesterday afternoon. I managed to struggle against the wind around the deck to successfully complete the challenge. Wahoo!
Observer Footnote: If you’re looking for something to do this vacation week, the Mount Washington Observatory will be hosting FREE events Monday through Friday at the Weather Discovery Center. Here is a copy of this week’s schedule:
On Monday, Feb. 17, the Observatory will present ‘2013 Weather in Review,’ a recap of the year’s major weather events. From the February blizzard to the widest tornado in recorded history, 2013 was a year to remember. Observatory staff will discuss the many climatic records that were broken, while sharing spectacular images captured throughout the year. Starts at 7 PM.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, a live videoconference will connect guests to the Observatory’s weather station on the summit of Mount Washington for ‘Extreme Weather Observations.’ Offering an inside look at life and work in one of the world’s most famous weather stations, an Observatory scientist will explain what kind of data they collect and how they translate it into forecasts and other important information. Starts at 7 PM.
On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the Observatory will host an open house at their Weather Discovery Center from 4:30-6:30pm. Guests will be invited to explore the museum and enjoy light refreshments while learning about Observatory educational outreach, research, and membership. At 5 and 6 p.m., a live video connection with the Observatory’s mountaintop weather station will allow visitors to meet Observatory scientists and learn about life and work atop the Northeast’s tallest peak.
On Thursday, Feb. 20, Observatory scientists will explain the building blocks of weather and climate in ‘The Fundamentals of Climate.’ Sharing unique insights from Mount Washington Observatory’s 82-year climate record – one of the oldest continuous climate records in North America – they’ll describe the global climate system and how that influences our region’s weather. Starts at 7 PM.
On Friday, Feb. 21, the Observatory will present ‘White Mountains Ecology,’ an introduction to the amazing plant and animal life found on Mount Washington and throughout the surrounding landscape. The program will describe how harsh seasonal weather influences the distribution of flora and fauna in our region, from the smallest lichens to the largest member of the deer family. Starts at 7 PM.
We hope to see you there!
Mike Dorfman, Weather Observer
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