Icing Season

2013-10-19 17:12:30.000 – Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Observer Mike and Intern Tom working up top.

Icing season is upon us here on top of Mount Washington, and while we have been preparing for this for the past few months there is always more to do. Today Staff Meteorologist and Observer Mike Carmon and Intern Tom Padham have been busy taking care of a couple instruments ahead of some heavy icing events that we are expecting over the next few days. For a fairer-weather instruments, many have been brought inside ahead of the impending cold, while other experimental instruments are getting their first test in high winds and rime ice. Our transition from our shorter summer precipitation cans, to our taller winter cans also took place early this afternoon during the ‘heat’ of the day. The reason for the taller cans has to do with the on-average higher wind speeds that we experience in the winter. A taller can will ensure that whatever snow does fall in will hopefully not blow out. Finally, the winter storm windows have been out for several weeks by this point, while down at the base of the Auto Road our Snowcat’s tracks are being installed along with the plow on our 4×4 truck.

As for the crew, we’ve had our winter EMS gear on the mountain for a while now and are starting to get our winter sport viewing in (NHL, NFL, NCAA Football, Wii Bowling and baseball).

For more information about our research and instrument testing capabilities at the observatory, visit our research page!

Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist