Goodbye to Summer, Hello to Winter 2014-10-08 20:20:00.000 - Mike Dorfman, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   This morning, I was startled awake at 4:40 by an extremely loud clap of thunder.While most people would roll over in their bed and fall back asleep, I knew my alarm was going to go off in another five minutes, so I sat up and enjoyed the show!I slowly packed the rest of my gear in my bag, trying not to wake up my girlfriend as the lightning lit up the room like a strobe.After saying goodbye for the week, I was off and driving

A memorable Summer 2014-10-07 23:11:00.000 - Jan Berriochoa, Summit Museum Attendant   Fall may have arrived down in the valley, but winter is rapidly approaching here on the summit. With the change in seasons I come to the end of a wonderful season working for the Mount Washington Observatory as a Summit Museum Attendant. I am melancholy about departing the summit. This experience has been educational, exciting, breathtaking, unique and most of all memorable. Being a member/volunteer/staff for the observatory I can only say how spectacular it is and has been.   Jan Berriochoa, Summit Museum Attendant

My First Exposure to Rime Ice 2014-10-06 18:06:00.000 - Caleb Meute, Summit Intern   Well I must say, my first exposure to rime ice and deicing our tower has me pretty excited for the upcoming winter. Rime ice is one of the most common weather phenomena up here on the summit, and also one of the big reasons our observatory needs to be staffed 24/7. The phenomenon occurs when super cooled water droplets move over the summit. These tiny droplets of water are able to stay in liquid state at temperatures below freezing, but as soon as they collide with

When Is The Next Big Snow Storm 2014-10-05 19:01:00.000 - Michael Kyle, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   Unlike most people, winter is my favorite season. So as a discloser if you are someone who is still holding onto summer you might want to stop reading now. Around this time every year I get the itch forsnow. After months of hot summer days, nothing seems more desirable than some snow. After all, snow storms are what started my passion for meteorology, so for me it is distressing going months without it. There have been a few days when we have seen snow

New Hampshire's 48 4K's 2014-10-04 14:38:00.000 - Mike Carmon, Weather Observer/Education Specialist   What is a challenge? In searching around for definitions, the one that struck me most was 'a summons that is often threatening, provocative, stimulating, or inciting.' Recently, I completed a challenge that, for me, was right in line with this definition, although the summons was given by myself, so we'll call it a self-challenge. As any avid hiker that frequents the numerous trails amidst the White Mountains of New Hampshire will attest to, a great challenge to face is completing the New Hampshire 4000-footers. New Hampshire is

Changes on the Horizon 2014-10-03 19:27:00.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Meteorologist   After a several day stretch of beautiful weather with mild temperatures, light winds, and mostly sunny skies, changes are on the horizon. A cold front will march east tomorrow and cross our area during the evening, with the higher summits likely going into the clouds and rain transitioning to mixed precipitation and snow showers as temperatures fall below freezing by Sunday. Today was a picture perfect fall day atop New England, with plenty of color in the surrounding valleys below. There was a noticeable difference in color from

From Pennsylvania to New Hampshire 2014-10-02 18:57:00.000 - Caleb Meute, Summit Intern   I spent the last couple of weeks in southeastern Pennsylvania where the leaves have not yet turned to the color of fall. My drive north was spectacular, as I was able to see a vivid color change amongst all of the trees. Unfortunately, I was "that guy" taking pictures with one hand on the phone and the other on the wheel. Don't worry, 60 percent of the time, my eyes were on the road the whole time. Driving up the mountain was also quite enjoyable during Wednesday's

Hello, October 2014-10-01 18:38:00.000 - Mike Carmon, Weather Observer/Education Specialist   As my shift alluded to during their Observer Comments from last shift week, I was lucky enough to take a vacation, leaving the Observatory in the very capable hands of my co-workers Mike Kyle and Tom Padham. However, today I'm back from another 3-week hiatus, and changes are everywhere! Autumn is fully underway in northern NH, with some astounding foliage around the region. If you haven't checked it out for yourself, I'd highly recommend taking a weekend to visit the White Mountain Region to behold this amazing sight. With

From the Mouth of the Rocks 2014-09-30 18:38:00.000 - Richard Bates, Summit Museum Docent   Here we are. We've been here before you were born and we will be here long after you die. We have witnessed and endured 500 million years of time. Who are we? We live here. We are the reason you have a mountain to visit. We are gneiss, schist, and granite. You, dear Mountain friend, journey here so that you can somehow commune and imagine the world's worst weather. You hear stories of the hurricane force winds, the rime ice, the subzero cold which can

This week in haikus. 2014-09-29 18:07:00.000 - Arielle Ahrens, Summit Intern   Part 1 High pressure all week brought us bright, warm, sunny days. It felt like summer. Part 2 The fog has returned and light rain showers will come. Autumn has returned.   Arielle Ahrens, Summit Intern