What Is the Jet Stream and Why Is It Important? 2013-02-22 18:36:40.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Summit Intern NULL Mount Washington is the location of the world's fastest surface wind ever recorded by man. In April of 1934, a wind speed of 231 miles per hour was recorded by the summit crew. Holed up in a wooden house chained to the summit, the observers strained to hear the clicks of the old-fashioned anemometer, which indicated wind speed. One of the observers on the summit even had to go out and clear ice off of the anemometer immediately before the record gust.Fly

Volunteer Comments 2013-02-20 22:33:40.000 - Gary Casperson,  Summit Volunteer NULL My first winter week as a volunteer on the Rock Pile has been exciting. I have been looking forward to this week since June 2012 which was my first summer volunteer session on the mountain.We have experienced some very good weather with low to moderate winds and good visibilities. Then on Sunday the Observers forecasted 110-120 mph winds for Monday. These forecasted winds would give me the opportunity to join the Century Club. The wind force on the body was unbelievable as I ventured out unto the deck early Monday

My First Winter Week 2013-02-19 18:37:12.000 - Mark Sobkowicz,  Summit Volunteer Stairs coated in rime ice above an undercast. This morning the temperature was 20F on the mountain with 40 mph winds, which, just a week ago, I would have described as 'windy and cold.' A week volunteering here at the Observatory has given me a new appreciation for 'windy and cold.' Yesterday morning I was able to experience winds of 115 mph with higher gusts, along with cold of 15F below zero. It was an amazing experience to be able to go out in that, with the warm observatory

High Winds, Dense Fog, Bitter Cold Followed By An Awesome Sunset 2013-02-18 19:13:52.000 - Roger Pushor,  Weather Observer/IT Specialist Sunset through the Weather Room Windows As can always be expected from the 'rock pile', the last few days have been a time of extremes. So far this shift, we've seen wind speed ranging from two miles per hour to 129 miles per hour. Temperatures have ranged from a high of 16F degrees to a low of 19F degrees below zero. Visibility from the Observation deck has ranged anywhere from 50 feet to 120 miles. This morning when the winds hit

Boston Museum of Science 2013-02-17 16:23:01.000 - Rebecca Scholand,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL One of the benefits of working for eight days straight on the summit, is the six days off the summit we have to relax and travel. This past off week, I took advantage of my time off and visited the Boston Museum of Science; one of the participating science centers of the ASTC Passport Program. You see, with my Observatory membership, not only can I access Premium Content and other material from the Mount Washington Observatory, but I get free admission to over 300 science museums who

Never The Same 2013-02-16 16:51:37.000 - Michael Kyle,  Summit Intern Commute Up On Wednesday No two days on Mount Washington are the same. This might be hard to believe since the summit can be in dense fog for days at a time and many of the daily tasks on the summit have not changed much over the years. While I might be new to the summit, I'm constantly hearing the other observers say things like "This is new..." or "I've never seen that before..." leading me to believe it's not just my opinion. There are a plethora of differences that

Data Is Golden 2013-02-15 18:14:55.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist NULL Prior to working at the Mount Washington Observatory, I held jobs that dealt with Forensic Meteorology and Research Meteorology. A Forensic Meteorologist is someone that acquires data (weather reports, METAR's, radar imagery, satellite imagery, local accounts, etc.) for a location and assists in interpreting the cause and effect that weather may have had in a particular case - such as a criminal investigation, insurance claim, death, etc. In a similar fashion, a Research Meteorologist is someone that acquires data either directly (by setting up instrumentation) or indirectly (like those

Happy Valentines Day! 2013-02-14 17:36:51.000 - Marty,  Summit Cat Happy Valentines Day! Meow from the summit of New England. Not only has today been a purrrfect day on the summit with a beautiful undercast, but it is also Valentines Day. A day for me to say thank you to all my fans, supporters, and fellow four legged friends. The support you have given me and my fellow Observers has been incredible. Through memberships, connections with our educational staff, visits to the summit, and outings to the Weather Discovery Center, I have been privileged to meet so many of you. So,

A Week of First's and Q&A 2013-02-13 21:01:13.000 - Susanne Laundry,  Summit Volunteer NULL Having completed two prior volunteer weeks it was time to try a winter week. With a great deal of excitement and anticipation the week had arrived. Now I have been on the summit for one shift and as I write this the shift change meeting is taking place before we depart. What a spectacular experience this has been with many firsts. First ride in the SnowCat from the base to the summit with the added bonus of riding in the cab. First winter volunteer week at

A Day in the Life 2013-02-12 17:22:48.000 - Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist NULL A sample day in the life as an Observer at Mount Washington Observatory:-5:30am: Wake up, immediately realize you're on top of a mountain and you need to be outside in 15 minutes, fully dressed and awake to take the first observation.-5:40am: Get ready for, then go outside, covered from head to toe after having a brief conversation with the night observer who is now going to bed about what's been happening outside, if there's precipitation that's fallen or any instruments we need to keep an eye