I experienced my second highest wind guests today 2012-12-21 21:29:00.000 - Roger Pushor,  Weather Observer/IT Specialist Hays wind chart for December 21st We had another extreme weather day here on the Summit. We started off the day with temperatures in the teens with snow and fog, which of course attaches itself to everything that it comes in contact with and forms either rime ice or glaze ice. From a deicing standpoint, three to four inches of rime ice comes off the tower and instruments way easier than three to four inches of rock-hard glaze ice.By midafternoon we had transitioned from

Undercast 2012-12-20 17:47:41.000 - Rebecca Scholand,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist Undercast sea of Clouds Today was a rare day on the summit of Mount Washington for the fact we spent almost all day with absolutely no clouds in the sky but a complete undercast below us. We were on our own mountain island stranded as far as the eye could see. All other terrain features were obscured by the clouds below us. Considering we spend about 60 percent of the year in the fog it was a real treat to have the beautiful sky above us while the valley was obscured

Thoughts From a PSU Intern 2012-12-19 23:41:09.000 - Chris Harle,  Plymouth State University Intern NULL My name is Chris Harle and I am a junior in the Meteorology program at Plymouth State University. I will be interning here on the summit of Mount Washington for the next week. Being a meteorology student in the Northeast, I have been fascinated with the mountains' famous weather since I was very young. A dream is now coming true with this much anticipated stay.Arriving at the base of the auto road this morning, hype filled the air about the first snow cat trip up

Volunteer Comments 2012-12-19 02:36:43.000 - Bruce & Mitch,  Summit Volunteers NULL Life at 6,288' for the last week has presented a variety of opportunities. The drive up was in the 4 wheel drive Obs van equipped with tire chains for a scenic trip to the summit. Bruce and I arrived with the staff and two photographers with anticipation of what was in store for the week ahead. We soon settled in and became familiar with our surroundings and started to prepare our first meal for the group. Dinner conversation allowed us to develop new found friendships and become comfortable with

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Precipitation Type Forecasting 2012-12-16 23:22:32.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist Tuesday's Culprit Although forecasting is an enjoyable challenge for me, when it comes to matters such as precipitation type forecasting, things can get decidedly dicey. Even though computer models do reasonably well with predicting temperatures, a degree or two can make all the difference in determining an all-snow event vs. a freezing rain event vs. an all-rain event.Last night (and most likely tonight) was (will be) one of those especially tricky situations, and gave (will give) my forecasting prowess a run for its money. The day in question in tonight's

Winter on the Way! 2012-12-15 17:44:55.000 - Brian Fitzgerald,  Weather Observer/Education Specialist Winter Storm Watch ares in blue. Courtesy NWS. Winter doesn't officially begin in the Northern Hemisphere until Friday the 21st-- though here on the Rockpile we've been seeing a taste since October. Lucky for us, and now lucky for the valley, we'll be seeing our first significant winter storm enter the region late in the afternoon on Sunday with the bulk of the precipitation falling as snow for interior and Northern New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine starting Sunday night and early Monday morning, with lighter accumulations occurring straight

Shooting Stars 2012-12-14 16:11:45.000 - Steve Welsh,  Weather Observer/IT Specialist NULL Yesterday evening we were treated to a great celestial 'firework' display as a major meteor shower occurred overhead. For once the fog stayed away, the sky was crystal clear and there was hardly any background light due to a new moon. The Geminid meteor shower, which peaks this year on December 13th and 14th, is by far the most intense meteor shower of the year. It often lasts for days and includes everything from small dust grains, giving us those typical short lived streaks that flash across the sky,

A Warm and Dry Fall 2012-12-13 18:07:26.000 - Mike Dorfman,  Summit Intern The icy (but not snowy) road looking to the North. Normally in early Fall, the last leg of our weekly commute to the summit involves driving up the 7.6 miles on the Auto Road to the summit building. This van ride up the auto road becomes challenging in late Fall, requiring chains on tires and using a plow to push snow off the road. At a certain point in the late Fall, we make the transition from traveling up the auto road by car to using our snow

12/12/12 2012-12-12 23:23:28.000 - Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist A Gear Collage! Although the calendar date is about 13 days short of Christmas, it felt like December 25th this morning for us observers, as a new shipment of EMS gear arrived on the summit!Here are some of the pieces I received, that will go a long way to ensuring my warmth and dexterity during the long winter on the rockpile:1. EMS Men's Theorem Pants: Essential for all of my trips and trudges through snowdrifts during the winter, and also to keep my legs warm through those nights when temperatures could potentially