March Feels A Whole Lot Like January 2014-03-16 16:40:22.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist March sixteenth should be averaging around 13F (-10C), however, that is not the case this year. From midnight until 1600EDT today, we have been averaging -8F (-22C). This alone is a notable departure, but if models pan out this afternoon and overnight, that average is about to plunge even lower. As high pressure continues to build in from the west, a strong northwesterly flow will continue to push cold northern air in, dropping lows to around -20F (-29C). And if projected lows do become reality, there

Cold And Windy Ahead 2014-03-15 18:12:26.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Weather Observer NULL Winds are supposed to ramp up through the forecast period. With temperatures dropping down, wind chills will drop down to as low as 50-70 degrees below zero. This will allow frostbite to form on exposed skin in less than 5 minutes. This will make for some chilly observations, but luckily our warm EMS gear will keep us protected from the elements. As I've said before, it's really impossible to imagine conditions like these until you've gotten yourself into them. Trust my words when I say that you really

Happy Birthday Ryan And Cara! 2014-03-14 17:29:55.000 - Rebecca Scholand,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL Today is Pi Day, March 14th, which if you know the numerical value of Pi equals 3.14. For the Observatory this also is a special day because it is Weather Observer Ryan Knapp's and our Director of Advancement Cara Rudio's birthday! So happy birthday from 6288 feet!On a separate note Ginger Zee is coming to join the Mount Washington Observatory in Portland on April 4 at the Port City Music Hall to share her stories of wild weather and storm chasing. From WMTW-TV Channel 8, Maine's

Measuring Snow On The Summit 2014-03-13 17:22:41.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Weather Observer NULL Just over a foot of snow fell on the summit over the past 36 hours, drifting into some really impressive piles around the summit building. As you may know, we measure precipitation every six hours here at the Observatory, measuring the depth in a can approximately 100 feet away from the summit building. On a clear summer day, collecting the precipitation can is an extremely simple task (usually), but last night, Observer Ryan Knapp encountered drifts ranging from waist to chest deep. We've used the same method

Back on the Summit! 2014-03-12 18:03:22.000 - Kaitlyn O`Brien,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL I am thrilled to be back on the summit! After the conclusion of my Internship last summer I ended up moving back to Oklahoma where I took a job as a Support Meteorologist at a company known as Weather Decision Technologies. I spent just over six months in the Sooner State working alongside some wonderful people while providing technical and meteorological support to hundreds of clients and customers. I've since moved back to the Northeast, and now I'm happy to say, I'm back atop the summit of

Scramble for Shift Change 2014-03-11 16:51:02.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL With the impending storm on the horizon tomorrow, the traditional shift change day for summit staff, we've scrambled a bit to accommodate.Despite the heartiness of the staff and our wintertime transportation (Meow, Snow Kitty!), the weather can still preclude shift change from occurring. In order to guard against the possibility of our shift being stuck an extra day (or maybe even two), we've decided on a bright solution. In fact, a bright-and-early solution! Our counterparts on the other shift will meet at the base of the mountain

Another Round of Significant Snow 2014-03-10 15:34:10.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL As I was alluding to in an earlier comment this week, the hits seem to keep on comin' this winter, and another one is on its way.Although it's a little further into the future than we usually forecast, computer models are agreeing strongly on the possibility of a major Nor'easter impacting the area on Wednesday-Thursday. The exact track and timing of this system are still in doubt, but on the whole, it looks as if major snow accumulations are becoming more and more likely for most

In like a Lion, out like a Lamb 2014-03-09 16:42:20.000 - Samuel Hewitt,  Summit Intern NULL You know what they say about March, "If it comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb". This statement mainly refers to the wide range of weather conditions that are possible during this month. The spring months are a period of transition between winter and summer. Because of this, it is possible to see snow one day and then rain and warm temperatures only a day or two later. Looking back at the records, March of 2012 is a perfect

Foggiest Places on Earth 2014-03-08 21:18:24.000 - Tom Padham,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist NULL After spending a few days in the clear, the summit has returned to the all-too-familiar foggy conditions we see so often up here. Being back in the fog made me wonder, how does Mount Washington compare to some of the foggiest locations on our planet? After doing a bit of research, it seems we may be right up there with many of the foggiest places on earth. According to most sources, the Grand Banks off the southeast of Newfoundland, Canada are considered by most to be the

Capturing HD Video Footage 2014-03-07 17:50:03.000 - Scot Henley,  Executive Director NULL While the primary storyline of our new mountaintop museum is the mountain'sextraordinarily awful weather, one exhibit in particular requires videofootage captured on a good visibility day. The 6th of March was one of thoserare bluebird Mount Washington days. Bright sunshine, moderate temperaturesand little wind made for an ideal day to do some shooting for Extreme MountWashington.Documentarian Tom Guilmette of Franklin, Mass., whose work you will findsprinkled throughout the newly-renovated museum, paid us another visit withone mission to accomplish: capture video footage of a descent down themountain from the