A Tribute to Colleagues, Nature, and Research on Mount Washington By Joshua Elms Before ever laying eyes upon it, I expected many things from my time at the Observatory. I attempted to imagine exactly what would come of my ambitious research project, how hurricane-force winds would feel tearing at my back, and what it would be like to relax on a couch at the end of a long workday and play video games with my coworkers. Suffice it to say, I got all of the particulars wrong – my research topic shrunk, shifted, and grew over time. Walking in

Giving Back to MWOBS By Kally Abrams Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from Kally Abrams’s personal blog; full post linked here. The day started with 74 MPH winds that pushed us technically into a categorical hurricane force but that’s the middle of our story so let me re-begin, I promise it’s not nearly as complex as the weather. Seven nights and eight days was our length of volunteer days atop Mount Washington assisting the staff at the Observatory (MWOBS). My husband Eric & I enjoying the nearly 70 MPH winds as they crashed over the wall like an

Overview of Rain on Snow Research By Charlie Peachey Below is a summary of findings from current research on rain on snow events, defined as liquid precipitation on existing snowpack, occurring on the summit of Mount Washington from September 1989 through May 2020. The scope of the study, available in full on our research webpage, aims to accurately establish and quantify climate trends related to extreme weather events occurring within this timeframe, and will be achieved by taking the 3, 5, and 10 year averages looking at overall temperature, wind, and precipitation changes as well as selecting the outliers for

Mountains, Mental Health, and Self-Care with Steward Riley McGurn By Riley McGurn The mountains are so special to me and many others; the challenges, the views, the physical activity, and the experiences all encourage us to go back frequently. Like the mountains, as individuals, we also experience peaks and valleys throughout our lives. We develop our character, grit, and passion in these high and low points. For myself, I stumbled upon trail running and hiking in the White Mountains just a few years ago, and that journey has been so impactful on my life and my goals for the

Summit Crew Goes Rock Climbing for an Early Seek the Peak By Alex Branton Seek the Peak is just around the corner, meaning lots of people will be heading out on an outdoor adventure in an effort to support the Mount Washington Observatory. While most people choose to hike Mount Washington on the day of the event, many others find alternative ways to get outdoors and raise money for the observatory. No matter the adventure that participants take, everyone is invited to the Après hike party hosted by Great Glen Trails. While most MWOBS staff will be attending the

Celebrating National Forest Week: Trail Adoption 101 By Fawn Langerman It's #NationalForestWeek! Every year during the second week of July, the National Forest Foundation (NFF), the U.S. Forest Service’s non-profit partner, hosts National Forest Week to raise awareness of the incredible 193-million-acre National Forest System. The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) comprises of over 750,000 acres, and requires a network of organizations and resources as well as continued maintenance— something I have been a part of for over twenty years and am excited to share a bit about with you. I have been volunteering for trail work projects since

June 2024 By The Numbers By Ryan Knapp Alpine Flowers with Mt Adams and Madison in the background taken early June 2024. July has arrived, so it is a perfect time to look back and summarize June 2024 and the 2023/2024 snowfall season, which ended on June 30. If I were to use adjectives to summarize June 2024's weather conditions on the summit, they would be - warm, moist, and windy. To find out why, let's look back at some of the stats for June 2024: Our average temperature for June 2024 was 48.2°F (9°C), which is

Meet the MWOBS staff teams participating in this year's Seek the Peak! Every summer, representatives from our administrative office in North Conway, Weather Station on the summit of Mount Washington, and everywhere in between, join together to advocate for the many projects and initiatives happening across the organization while celebrating this special institution alongside the community that makes it all possible. Thank you to all who support this event every year, and please consider supporting one of the below Observatory teams as they go head to head in some (friendly) fundraising competition! MWOBS Weather