Mount Washington Observatory Observer Blog
Once In a Lifetime Isn’t Enough
Once In a Lifetime Isn’t Enough By Bill Ofsiany A once in a lifetime experience is an over-used term. It might apply to seeing a comet that won’t be back to see for 75 years (Halley), or 80,000 years (C/2023 A3). It doesn’t apply to Mount Washington in winter. As Slim Bryant, a former Snowcat driver once told me years ago, “every time you go to the summit it’s a different mountain.” Each time you spend eight days on the summit, with the weather crew, as a summit volunteer, you get to see a little more of the moods, weather
MWOBS Weather Forecasts Expand Beyond the Higher Summits
MWOBS Weather Forecasts Expand Beyond the Higher Summits By Alex Branton One of the most utilized products provided by Mount Washington Observatory is the Higher Summits Forecast. This 48-hour forecast is written by MWOBS weather observers twice daily and is available for free on our website. The Higher Summits Forecast is incredibly unique in that it is written by meteorologists specifically for the higher elevations of New Hampshire. The White Mountains often experience extreme weather, which can be drastically different than weather at the lower elevations. This makes the Higher Summits Forecast a valuable tool for those who venture
One Down, One To Go
One Down, One to Go By Ryan Knapp On my calendar for March 2025, I had two reminders of events to look forward to in the sky. The first occurred this past week with a total lunar eclipse and for the second, that occurs on my next shift with the possibility of viewing a partial solar eclipse. For the first event, we lucked out and had nearly clear skies which allowed for viewing of the total lunar eclipse from start to finish over the night of March 13/14. For the second event, the weather cooperating and allowing for the
A Windy Start to March: A Look at Forecasting (and Battling) Category 4 Level Gusts
A Windy Start to March: A Look at Forecasting (and Battling) Category 4 Level Gusts By Charlie Peachey This winter at the Observatory has been freezing and, recently, historically windy. Just a few weeks ago, we recorded a wind gust of 161 mph and had thirty-nine consecutive hours of gusts over 100 mph. 161 mph would be windy by anyone's standards, but it also holds up to some of the most significant wind records we have ever recorded at the Observatory. In fact, it was the second-highest wind gust we have recorded on the summit since 1994, 3rd highest gust
From Intern to Educator to Observer: My Next Chapter with the Obs
From Intern to Educator to Observer: My Next Chapter with the Obs By Amy Cotter For the past year and a half, I have worked with Mount Washington Observatory in a variety of positions. My journey with the Obs began in August 2023 as a fall summit intern, after which I moved into a seasonal educator position in January 2024, followed by a permanent educator position starting June 2024, and now, come February 2025, I have completed my first full, official shift as a Weather Observer atop Mount Washington! As a summit intern, I worked a week on/week off
Bringing Supplies to Mt. Washington’s Summit
Bringing Supplies to Mt. Washington’s Summit By Jamie Boss It’s one thing to operate a weather observatory on top of Mount Washington in the worst weather in the world and another to provide a constant supply of personnel and supplies to the summit every week. On a good day, provided no plowing would be needed from the snowcat, it might take an hour and a half to reach the summit via the 8-mile auto road. Drifting snow can add another hour and a half to the summit trip. There are days when the weather is so inclement that the
20 FAQs about Nimbus, the Summit Cat
20 FAQs about Nimbus, the Summit Cat By Nimbus & Alexis George I recently collaborated with Weather Observer and Meteorologist, Alexis George, to compile and answer the most frequently asked questions about me, Nimbus the Summit Cat. From the history of cats at the Observatory to daily living, I hope these answers help illustrate what it’s like to work and live as the resident summit cat on the rockpile! 1. So, what is the story behind the cats at Mount Washington Observatory? This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions that observers receive while working on Mount
Extreme Commuting on Mount Washington
Extreme Commuting on Mount Washington By Lauren Clem | Winter 2024/2025 This article was originally published in the Winter 2024/25 edition of Mt Washington Valley Vibe, a unique, outdoor-focused, seasonally-printed publication in the Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire. WiseguyCreative.com photo In his 19 years serving as a weather observer for the Mount Washington Observatory, Ryan Knapp has seen it all. He’s seen 10-foot snow drifts piled against the walls of the Sherman Adams Building. He’s experienced minus-40-degree temperatures with a wind chill of 101 below. He’s seen clear days with a view 130 miles in every direction,
The 2025 Gulf Coast Blizzard: History, Science, and Perspectives from a Floridian Turned New Englander
The 2025 Gulf Coast Blizzard: History, Science, and Perspectives from a Floridian Turned New Englander By Alex Branton As a Florida native and a life-long weather enthusiast, I was always left wondering what it would be like to experience snow. Don’t get me wrong, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes would never fail to excite me, but snow was a meteorological phenomenon that sadly seemed out of the realm of possibility in Gulf Breeze, FL. Having since moved to New England, the allure of snow has only grown stronger. Growing up in northwest Florida, cold temperatures were not uncommon in the
2024 By The Numbers
2024 By The Numbers By Ryan Knapp Blowing snow highlighted at sunset with some undercast on Feb. 1, 2025. Having just wrapped up the monthly review for January 2025, it appears that 2025 is off to a cold start. While reviewing last month's data, it reminded me that I should probably put together a blog post summarizing some of the weather stats that formed 2024. Looking back at weather stats, if I had to choose four words to summarize 2024 weather conditions on the summit, they would be - warm, wet, snowy, and foggy. To find out
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