Mount Washington Observatory Observer Blog
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
Where Weather Meets Wonder
Where Weather Meets Wonder By Peter Edwards Hello everyone! My name is Peter Edwards, one of the interns for the Mount Washington Observatory this winter and I’m psyched to be here! I’ve had a fascination with the weather extremes and especially winter weather phenomenon for as long as I can remember. In fact while I sit here writing this I can’t think of something that exhilarates me more. Growing up in the Worcester Hills of northern Massachusetts I realized at a young age that during nor’easters we’d almost always be colder and get more snow than surrounding areas. These
From Colorado to Mount Washington: My First Days as a Climate Data Intern
From Colorado to Mount Washington: My First Days as a Climate Data Intern By Frank Vazzano Hello MWOBS community! My name is Frank Vazzano (he/him), and I am the winter 2025 climate data analysis intern. This is an all-new joint internship giving me the opportunity to work with scientists and science communicators at the Mount Washington Observatory, Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), and Hubbard Brook Research Foundation (HBRF). I’m excited to tell you all about how my first shift has gone and what research I’ll be working on in the coming months as I brave the perilous weather conditions that relentlessly batter the
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