Observation in Life 2008-03-25 21:48:49.000 - Mike Finnegan,  IT Observer Silver Lining on North Baldface There’s always something new to see and observe. In the past week, we’ve seen the summit lose a fair bit of its’ snow depth due to rain. Not long after we saw wind reach 123 mph, the highest I had ever seen. This was quickly overshadowed by winds that climbed to 149 mph, sustained in the 120 mph range. We’ve seen cap clouds and clouds just a bit closer to us…we’ll call it fog. Visibility has ranged from 120 feet to 120 miles. Now it’s

Easter 2008-03-23 17:06:11.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Meteorologist Easter Candy At 8:45 pm EST I walked out the tower door to de-ice and was flabbergasted by what my eyes were telling me. For the first time since arriving on the summit on Wednesday, I was able to see more than a mess of murky white. Not only was I able to see the end of the deck, I also observed the moon, bright as can be, casting shadows like the sun, behind a translucent cap cloud that hovered over the summit for a couple of hours. When you’re enveloped in clouds

Winds 2008-03-22 01:24:04.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer Everyone is glued to the Hays Chart 'How much wind does it take to make a meteorologist happy...just a little MORE!'-Dave McDonald, Edutrip leader, Christa McAuliffe Planetarium.The Windiest Day we've all seen!   Stacey Kawecki,  Observer

Wind 2008-03-20 21:33:29.000 - Ryan Buckley,  Summit Intern NULL Well the winds are picking up as predicted. The wind has already gusted up to 123.4 MPH and the peak of this storm has not yet come to fruition. As we sit inside, eyes fixed to the Hays Chart, I get the feeling tonight is going to be a long one. I set up my sleeping bag in the library so that I can be woken up whenever Stacey needs to be accompanied out into the chaotic abyss located just outside the observatory door. All my gear is laid out in

jealous brian 2008-03-19 20:14:56.000 - Stacey Kawecki,  Observer “I hope you enjoy your week off, Brian”“I hope you have a terrible week.”This was the exchange made between Brian Clark and myself as he was leaving the summit (for it is that fateful day of changing shifts!). Usually partings are bitter-sweet, this one however, may seem flat out bitter. There is a reason for Brian’s unusually mean-spirited farewell. And, no, we did not vote him off the summit. However, there is something exciting brewing in the atmosphere, literally. The low pressure that is pushing a warm front across the region as

My Auto Road Hike 2008-03-18 18:09:14.000 - Matthew Morin,  Space Grant Intern The Auto Road at 4300 feet A lot of people envision the concept of research as sitting in front of a computer for hours feverishly analyzing huge amounts of data. This is a pretty accurate summation of my research project* for the most part. However, there are a few occasions where my research takes on a whole new direction. I was given the task of cataloging the microclimatology of the seven Auto Road Vertical Temperature Profile (ARVTP) sites. Having detailed site descriptions will give researchers a better understanding

Relative Humidity 2008-03-17 14:20:49.000 - Steve Welsh,  IT Observer Rime Ice One of the things you notice whilst living on the top of Mount Washington in winter is how dry the air is. Over the course of a week long shift up here your skin dries out and cracks. Typically the air inside the building, at this time of year, has a relative humidity of around 10% to 15%, which, is kind of strange considering we are in the fog most of the time with the humidity outside at 100%. So what’s going on? It turns out that warm air

Trippin... 2008-03-15 21:29:58.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist Every pay check, I put aside $50 into a special saving account which is labeled “vacation fund” on my online bank account. I then explore the internet to find that once in a lifetime kind of trip to aim for to use my funds on as well as take time off from work for. The options now and days are as endless and as big as my imagination as to where and what people can do for vacations. Trip ideas can vary from swimming with dolphins to going on ghost hunting trips.

Former interns comments... 2008-03-14 17:32:05.000 - Aubrie Pace,  Former Summit Intern NULL Life is different atop the summit of Mount Washington. People who describe the summit have addressed this topic countless times, but the real experience cannot be fully appreciated until the individual actually spends time on the summit his/her self. I was welcomed back to the summit the last few days during my Spring Break to help out. Mount Washington is not normally associated with Spring Breaks, unless to be compared as one of the worst places to vacation, but despite the negative outlook on my choice I would

That old saying... 2008-03-13 02:27:15.000 - Ryan Knapp,  Meteorologist 1930s Commute. My past week can be summarized as this: something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. First off though, let me clarify that I did not get married, I just thought this old marriage superstition best summarized my week off is all. So, I will work my way backwards.First off, I went to Bethel, Maine and saw the world’s tallest snowwoman under blue skies. I missed the worlds tallest snowman back in 1999 standing at a mere 113 foot, 7 inch high. This woman one uped that record