Things Are Looking Great This Year 2014-07-17 20:14:35.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist Fair weather ahead! This time last year, I was responding to numerous phone calls and emails with our valley staff about the expected weather for Seek the Peak weekend, none of which were very optimistic. Last year, models leading up to the event had a strong cold front moving through the area capable of producing high winds, heavy rains capable of flash-flooding, large hail, frequent lightning and even the possibility of tornadoes around the state. It was looking dire at best. The day of the event, the

#SeekThePeak 2014-07-16 18:16:48.000 - Tim Taber,  Digital Content Coordinator NULL Seek the Peak is this Saturday and preparations are in full swing. This will be my first Seek the Peak and I am so excited for this weekend. Look for me at the kick-off party Friday evening at the Weather Discovery Center. I'll also be on the trail throughout the day on Saturday, as well as at the after party at the base of the Auto Road. I'll be taking photos and video of the event, so be sure to say 'Hi!' and pose for a photo with your Seek

Science in the Mountains Begins Tomorrow 2014-07-15 15:22:33.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL It's that time of year once again! Our Science in the Mountains lecture series kicks-off at the Weather Discovery Center in North Conway Village at 7PM tomorrow evening! The series continues every Wednesday night through August 20th, with a wide range of topics being covered. We're particularly excited this year, because all of the presentations will be given by our very own staff.I have the privilege this year of getting things started, as I'll be presenting on the 'Complexity of Weather Forecasting in the Presidential

Why I Love My Job 2014-07-14 18:05:41.000 - Jan Berriochoa,  Summit Museum Attendant NULL Last week was such an exciting week up here on the summit. Thursday started with a beautiful sunrise and coffee on the observation deck. Friday after opening the museum at 7:30AM for the Mount Washington Auto Road's Sunrise Opening, the day's first visitors came down the new Extreme Mount Washington Museum . It just so happened that the first visitors were Alexander McKenzie Jr. , the son of one of the first weather observers for the Mount Washington Observatory, Alexander McKenzie Sr. and his wife. Saturday

Thunderstorms on the Summit 2014-07-13 18:18:29.000 - Tom Padham,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist Hail outside the sub door after the 2011 storm With the prospect of thunderstorms over the next few days, I am reminded of some of my experiences with storms on the summit, many of which have been some of the most exciting weather I have seen during my work here. Individual thunderstorms tend to take the past of least resistance, and often skirt around Mount Washington and the Presidential Range and either head north into the Gorham/Berlin area or south towards North Conway. Rarely storms are actually aided from

Nice Day For A Bike Race! 2014-07-12 11:42:11.000 - Brett Rossio,  Summit Intern First Place Finisher It ended up being a gorgeous day for Newton's Revenge bike race! Being an avid biker myself, I would love to try this out sometime in the future. Inclines are a true challenge of physical endurance. Many individuals afar use this mountain to prepare them for even greater feats. It was a beautiful day up here for the race, albeit the weather here typically allows even the most athletic individuals to test both physical and mental strength. Back in Michigan, I would run whether

Awesome Planet 2014-07-11 16:55:19.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist Filming on the Tower I've had the pleasure of being a weather observer on Mount Washington for about five and a half years to this point, but I've only had the distinction of Education Specialist for 6 months. This has served to keep me on my toes, opening my job up to a whole host of new experiences!One of those experiences has been serving as one of MWO's summit ambassadors to the media, along with my counterpart education specialist on the other shift, Kaitlyn O'Brien. Yesterday, we were visited by

Back on Board 2014-07-10 17:52:26.000 - Ethan Wright,  Summit Intern NULL Everybody on our current shift is getting back into the routine of life on the mountain. Last night a cold front passed over the area producing gusty conditions and chilly weather. We experienced fog through most of the night but it cleared out in the late morning to reveal a great view of the Northern Presidential mountains. As I write this comment there is layer of cumulus clouds stretching over the mountains as far as the eye can see. Today has been a fairly busy day so far. Some

Thanks for the Unique Experience! 2014-07-09 09:12:59.000 - Liz Hryniewich,  Summit Volunteer NULL This week was a combination of hanging out, cooking, hiking, and watching the weather people. Most of the staff at the Mount Washington Observatory are meteorologists. The worse the weather the more excited people become. Cloud formations, sunrises, sunsets, and high winds are a cause for an outing to the Observation Deck.My main take away is a much greater respect for this mountain's weather. The weather at the top is much different than at the base. Hikers and visitors need to be prepared for extreme weather.  

My Volunteer Week on the Summit 2014-07-08 16:23:20.000 - Candice Huber,  Summit Volunteer NULL For 35 years I've enjoyed hiking in the White Mountains and recently I learned of the volunteer opportunities, here at the Mount Washington Observatory. Now I find myself wrapping up a week during which my home was the summit, surrounded by beautiful rugged peaks and valleys - basically at the top of the world.Our duties consisted of cooking daily dinners for staff and keeping the quarters clean, and it left plenty of time for exploring the summit and hiking in the alpine zone. This week we