Spring Weather Means it's Time to Fly (or Hike)! 2022-05-10 08:24:31.000 - Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer   As winter starts to lose its tight grip on the higher summits this spring, the Home of the World’s Worst Weather has begun to show a bit of forgiveness. Overall, winds have relaxed a bit, temperatures have become less bone-chilling, and the snow and ice is beginning to disappear. This seasonal improvement in weather tends to lead to increased recreational activity around the mountains but also more favorable conditions for aviation activities. Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed multiple training exercises

A Look Back at Measuring the Extreme Winds on Mount Washington 2022-04-12 12:03:50.000 - Adam Muhith, Summit Intern   A range of the anemometers designed and used during the Observatory's history, shown above clockwise from top left, include the Heated No. 2, Grandfather Pitot, Pitot 92, Pitot 94, Pitot 97, Pitot 11, and Pitot 19.   Today is Big Wind Day, commemorating the 231 mph wind gust recorded by Mount Washington Observatory staff on April 12, 1934.     Since the earliest days of observing weather on the summit, measuring wind speeds has been a challenge. Heavy icing conditions and extreme

An Uncommon Commute to Study our Weather and Climate 2022-03-23 14:27:15.000 - Jackie Bellefontaine, Weather Observer and Education Specialist   One of the most common questions I’m asked as a Weather Observer is how my colleagues and I get to work. The logistics of getting up and down Mount Washington change depending on the season and conditions. We have several vehicles, including a van, truck, and Bombardier snowcat. The snowcat is definitely the standout vehicle that people are most curious about – understandably so!   The snowcat is similar to the groomers at ski resorts, with large tank-like treads and

Brrrrr, It’s Cold Outside, but the Rime Ice is Beautiful! 2022-03-15 14:34:34.000 - Matthew Addison, Weather Observer/Meteorologist   It’s been four months since I arrived at Mount Washington and wow, has it been chilly! In my 26+ years as a meteorologist, I can say this has indeed been the coldest weather I’ve ever experienced.   Of 147 days on the summit, only 28 have seen the temperature rise above freezing, which means it’s been below freezing 81% of my time here. While that may not seem too bad for most New Englanders, as a native Texan, this is a bit

February 2022 by the Numbers 2022-03-07 11:42:52.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   March has arrived, so it's a perfect time to look back and summarize February. A few words I would use to summarize February's weather conditions on the summit are warm, foggy, and windy. Let's look back at some of the stats for the month.   Our average temperature for the month was 8.1°F (-13.3°C), which is 2.2°F above the 1991-2020 30-year climate normal for our station. Our warmest temperature recorded in February was 38°F (3°C), occurring on Feb. 18. Our coldest temperature recorded during the month

Observatory Staff and Interns Present Projects at AMS Annual Meeting 2022-03-02 05:56:17.000 - Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science & Education   Mount Washington Observatory staff and interns presented two research posters and an overview of our WeatherX curriculum development project during the 102nd American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) Annual Meeting, held virtually in January.   After planning an in-person meeting in Houston, the AMS made the tough call to change course and host an all-virtual meeting due to the Covid-19 surge earlier this year. Many across the AMS community expressed support of this decision for the cause of health and safety. 

A Look Back at the Feb. 18 Rapid Temperature Drop 2022-02-22 16:21:30.000 - Jay Broccolo, Weather Observer and Meteorologist   It was like this. The temperature was holding steady at around 38°F on Friday, Feb. 18. The station had just tied the record high temperature for the day. Winds were out of the west/southwest with sustained winds in the 70 to 90 mph range, and it was raining out. The beautiful snowpack that took all winter to build... we watched a lot of it melt away. Jackie had to trudge through a foot or so of slush to get the

Love Is in the Air...and So Are Clouds! 2022-02-14 13:37:41.000 - Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer   Today is Valentine’s Day, so I thought it would be fitting to focus on what I love most about being a weather observer… clouds! Up here on the summit, we get to view clouds almost non-stop, and it is very rare when we can report “SKC,” or “sky clear.”  Due to our unique location and elevation, and the fact that clouds are up in the sky, sometimes we are able to view clouds over 200 miles away! So in order to report “SKC,” there

Half a Year Back with the Obs 2022-02-04 10:38:08.000 - Stephen Durham, Weather Observer & Education Specialist   We are in the heart of winter at the summit, experiencing a succession of storms... Hooray! Last weekend’s nor’easter delivered a few inches of snow and wind gusts up to 118 mph. Observers are now seeing a flow of moisture streaming northeast, resulting in heavy periods of snowfall that will deliver a foot of new snow for several of the summits and neighboring valley locations. Some of the southern summits could see totals exceeding a foot, especially in areas where several heavy bands