Un-bad weather 2010-11-14 23:37:38.000 - Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist It's a pretty well known fact that Mount Washington is famous for how bad the weather can be. Typically that's what we end up talking about a lot in the Observer Comments and to be honest, that's why this organization exists. However, occasionally the highlights come from how remarkably un-bad the weather is (yes, I know that's not a real word).Since I'm a 'numbers guy', let's look at some stats for the weather since my shift's arrival last Wednesday morning.Fog cleared off the mountain at 3:35 a.m. on Wednesday, so

Wonderful Working Weather 2010-11-13 15:49:41.000 - Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer Glaze Ice at Sunset What a last couple of days we have had here on the summit. Clouds have been few, winds have been low, and visibility has been endless. This gave me and Pete the opportunity yesterday to hike down to Lakes of the Clouds and finally fix the instrumentation down there. The hike down required the use of basic traction devices - not full on crampons, but something more akin to Stabilicers. The glaze ice remaining on the mountain from Tuesday's storm sounded like shattering glass as we

Work around the summit 2010-11-12 20:42:13.000 - Erica Sandschulte,  Summit Intern Northern Presidentials One great thing about this job is that there is always something new to do and learn. For example: Ken, Brian and I had to assemble a pipe long enough that would create a cast for the cables to run from the inner tower to about 40 feet out onto the deck in preparation for an upcoming project. Although the details of the project are still underway, the primary efforts were able to be accomplished this afternoon before another onset of weather conditions below freezing. It was

Good news, bad news 2010-11-11 17:35:11.000 - Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist I think I jinxed us.Last shift, I wrote a comment about how a cold, snowy October does not necessarily indicate a cold and snowy winter is forthcoming, or even a cold and snowy November for that matter! I gave November 2006 as an example, when the average temperature for the month was more than 9 degrees above average. Now here we are, on the 11th of November, with very little snow cover out there. Temperatures soaring into the low 40's tomorrow and remaining above freezing, for the most

Icy shift change 2010-11-10 23:44:28.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist An icy ride up. Another Wednesday, another shift change for the summit crews. And like the past few shift changes, my shift returns to an altered summit view. Heading down October twentieth, there was an average of 6 inches of snow, ice and rime on the ground but upon returning on the twenty-seventh, it looked and felt more like June than it did late October as warm rain diminished the snow pack to nearly zero. Over our last shift we had once again built our snow base back up to

Ice 2010-11-09 15:10:16.000 - Steve Welsh,  IT Observer NULL Ice, ice everywhere.After two days of freezing rain, drizzle and fog, plus ice pellets thrown in for good measure, everything outside is coated in glaze ice. This goes for the building, antennas, weather instruments and even the observers and interns if they stay out for more than a few minutes at a time. Slowly but surely we have been losing contact with our remote weather sites as their antennas and solar panels get coated in ice. There's nothing quite like glaze ice for reducing radio power and the thick undercast over

NULL 2010-11-08 16:08:38.000 - Kristin Raisanen,  Summit Intern A-frame and observation deck coated in glaze ice With a strong low pressure system sitting off the coast of Cape Cod, the high pressure that has been dominating the weather for the summit and keeping it in the clear is long gone and the fog and precipitation rain has returned. Yesterday, the summits were fog free with a beautiful undercast (see yesterday's comment for pictures), and temperatures were in the mid twenties with a gentle breeze. Today, the summit has been dazzled by winds from the northeast, a bit of snow, a

NULL 2010-11-07 22:34:04.000 - Mike Carmon,  Staff Meteorologist Orange Sky at Night...Observers Take Flight? The winds of change are coming once again!Our last few shifts have seemed to be a story of extremes. Last shift was a prime example, when temperatures bottomed out in the mid single digits near the halfway point of the week, but warmed into the 50s and completely consumed the snow pack in time for our departure.The established snow pack dwindled once again as temperatures skyrocketed into the mid 40s earlier this shift, only three degrees shy of a record high. But it seems the exposure

NULL 2010-11-06 15:18:52.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist stuck in the middle Our shift is often preoccupied with food. Those of you who frequently read the Observer's Comments or have had the opportunity of cooking for us know this. Maybe this preoccupation (and the fact that I hadn't yet eaten breakfast) is why the first thing I thought when I ventured outside was 'It's a sandwich!'. Today was one of the first days that I had to truly let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Once they did, I pretty much oohed and aah-ed throughout the entire observation. Clouds

NULL 2010-11-05 16:27:04.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer and Meteorologist Some might blame it on the rain. The melancholy of the gray outside is having an effect on my normally (some might say disgustingly) optimistic outlook on life. Most days I would counter gloomy arguments with "Yes, it's raining and the snow is mostly melted, but at least we don't have to shovel today!" Today, however, the spitting rain and drizzle just make we want to stay inside, drink lots of hot tea, and listen to music. The good news is that I can drink lots of hot tea and listen