Volunteer Comment 2014-01-20 19:21:13.000 - Neil Lovett,  Summit Volunteer Sunrise color on the Northern Presidential's This is the third time I have volunteered a week at the Mt Washington Observatory. I've seen the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets imaginable, I've stood in the winds gusting in excess of 100 mph, I've hiked to what I consider some of the most beautiful places in the world, and I've listened to the people who live here tell incredible tales. I've cooked for up to 17 people, improvising what to prepare based on the ingredients available to me at the time (here, there

Is It Snowing? 2014-01-19 17:34:47.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist Snowflake caught on our snow board. When I am off the summit and in the valley, I determine it is snowing like almost everyone else - I look out the window and see it falling from the sky or look at recently shoveled areas to see if anything has accumulated. On the summit of Mount Washington, this method rarely works. Why? Well, we are usually in the fog and there is some amount of blowing snow/ice/rime that is being whipped up with the newly fallen snow. So, my valley method

The Role Of An Observatory Leader 2014-01-18 23:09:00.000 - Will Broussard,  Outreach Coordinator Each winter, Mount Washington Observatory leads several overnight EduTrips to the summit of Mount Washington. With topics ranging from mountaineering essentials to weather basics, every trip has a theme and is led by an experienced educator in the field. As Outreach Coordinator for the Obsevatory, it is one of my primary responsibilities to accompany these winter trips to the summit as the "Observatory Leader." In this position, I serve as the link between the trip participants and the weather observers and volunteers living and working at the

The Only Constant is Change 2014-01-17 18:18:56.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Weather Observer Lenticular Cloud Over Jefferson It is quite amazing how quickly the weather can change up here. As I drove up to the base, valley fog was beginning to dissipate, revealing nearly bluebird skies. After reaching the summit under sunny skies, I went to bring my bags down to my room. By the time I got back up to look out the window, we were in the fog. If you want to get a better idea of how quickly we can go from in the clear to in the

Education Specialst 2014-01-16 17:06:54.000 - Rebecca Scholand,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL My job title on the summit is Weather Observer and Education Specialist. While I am most known for my work as a Weather Observer, acting as a Education Specialist is just as important. In this roll I am able to connect with students from around the country and teach them about Mount Washington's unique weather. For many schools, traveling to the summit is out of the question, but with Distance Learning programs I can bring the summit to them. Using video conferencing technology, remote locations are no longer out

Volunteer Comments 2014-01-15 18:29:13.000 - Charlie and Jeanine Kinney,  Summit Volunteers NULL The summit of Mount Washington is another year older and my wife and I are here to celebrate that. After twelve years and even more trips, it is difficult to find a new topic to write about; but not unlike the mountain, this comment appeared from the fog. As directed, we arrived at the base on January 7th at 7:30 AM. Slim, our Snow Cat operator, and Craig, his co-operator, were there readying things for the ride up. Soon after, the rest of the up-going shift arrived only

The 411 About Meteorology 2014-01-14 19:08:15.000 - Tom Padham,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist NULL Ever wonder what it takes to be a meteorologist? Meteorology, or the study of the atmosphere, is a complex science that has existed in the United States since the 18th century. Some of our founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin actually kept their own personal records of the weather in personal journals. Meteorologists can go to work in many different areas after college, with government agencies, education, radio and television stations, airports, private consulting firms, and research services just to name a few of the more

Final Week 2014-01-13 16:41:27.000 - Jake Fedors,  Research Intern NULL As my final week on the summit comes to a close I can't help but think how great the whole experience was. I sit here reflecting on the experiences and knowledge that the summit observatory has provided me and I realize they are priceless. I will be able to carry them with me wherever I go and build off of them. A big part of what made my time up here so valuable was the observers I was able to work with. They all have a great sense of humor

'January Thaw' 2014-01-12 11:02:41.000 - Samuel Hewitt,  Summit Intern Water Continues To Drain From Yesterday's Rain Some meteorologists refer to weather phenomenon that occur on or near a certain date as a 'singularity'. The most common temperature singularity is known to most as the 'January Thaw', a period of anomalous warming in the northeastern United States which normally occurs from mid-to-late January. What sets this singularity apart from most is that it occurs during the second coldest month of year for this region. An article by Godfrey et al. 2002 investigated the thaw, performing a statistical analysis in order to

March at the Top 2014-01-10 15:20:52.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist A March Scene It's hard to believe that after last week's arctic temperatures, we are likely to break a record high on the summit tomorrow. Although it's the dead of winter, temperatures in excess of 40 degrees are not unheard of (although, not common, by any means). Generally speaking, wintertime begins to take hold on the summit in late October, and does not loosen its grip until late April.Are you looking to experience (in person) this awe-inspiring environment that is Mount Washington's winter? Well, as a matter of