Mount Washington Observatory Observer Blog
Intern Tricia’s Farewell and Research Recap
Intern Tricia's Farewell and Research Recap By Tricia Hutton Summarizing my time on Mount Washington feels like an enormous task, but I'll try. The team at Mount Washington Observatory welcomed me into their lives only a few months ago, and now I cannot picture my life without this experience, or them in it. The interdisciplinary work on the summit is the most amazing combination for any meteorology/earth science enthusiast. I have gained experience in such a wide range of work that has exponentially launched my knowledge. I have grown as a forecaster with our higher summits forecasts, assisted with
2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Two Perspectives
2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Two Perspectives By Karl Philippoff and Francis Tarasiewicz Mount Washington, New Hampshire (Francis) I got into meteorology in part, because of how the weather can, even if briefly, bring us humans together as a captive audience to its destructive majesty. From casual conversations about clouds to catastrophic storms, the atmosphere serves as the great equalizer. On Monday April 8th, I realized that forces far outside our planet’s troposphere can fill this same role. For a few short minutes that afternoon the typical buzz of the modern world paused. Millions gathered, gawked, cried, and shared an
From Mount Washington to Antarctica
From Mount Washington to Antarctica By Charlotte Markey What do Antarctica and the summit of Mount Washington have in common besides weather? Having worked as support staff for both locations, I can tell you there are plenty of commonalities. In fact, volunteering at “the rockpile” helped me land a job in Antarctica! I have been fascinated with Mount Washington ever since I climbed Tuckerman when I was in my early twenties. As years passed, my husband and I took the children to Bartlett to vacation once or twice a year and enjoyed our pilgrimage to Jackson Falls, Pinkham Notch,
Record Gust, Human Grit: 90 Years of Big Wind
Record Gust, Human Grit: 90 Years of Big Wind By Ellen Estabrook | April 10, 2024 “’Will they believe it?’ Was our first thought. I felt then the full responsibility of that startling measurement…” Salvatore Pagliuca, Weather Observer and electrical engineer, wrote those words in the observer logbook on April 12, 1934, upon noting a record wind velocity on the summit of Mount Washington of 231 miles per hour. This record, confirmed by the National Weather Bureau, still stands as the fastest wind speed ever recorded at a staffed, non-automated station. It is here that we turn our attention
Excerpt of “Will They Believe It?”
Excerpt of “Will They Believe It?” By Rachel Slade | April 4, 2024 Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from Rachel Slade’s visit to Mount Washington Observatory last April on the 89th anniversary of the famous “highest wind ever recorded.” The entire feature will appear in the September/October 2024 issue of Yankee Magazine. The excerpt appears here with Yankee’s permission. Mount Washington’s famously changeable climate makes the summit an ideal location to study the wonders of our restless atmosphere, and 90 years ago this April, three men stationed there experienced some of the most extreme conditions ever recorded while doing
Mount Washington Observatory to Host 90th Anniversary Big Wind Day Celebration
Mount Washington Observatory to Host 90th Anniversary Big Wind Day Celebration North Conway, NH – March 23, 2024 – In commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the highest wind speed ever recorded at a staffed weather station, Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) will host an array of engaging events before and during Big Wind Day, April 12, with a culminating public celebration at Tuckerman Brewing Company. On April 12, 1934, a world record wind gust of 231 mph was measured by MWOBS’ first weather team of Alex McKenzie, Sal Pagliuca, and Wendell Stephenson. This record, confirmed by the National Weather
Spring is Here
Spring is Here By Alexis George Our snowpack, although still present, has slowly been dwindling over the course of this month. At the beginning of March, there was a snow depth of 27 inches at the summit. However, the combination of above-freezing temperatures and rainfall that occurred earlier this month has diminished the snowpack, with the snowpack decreasing to as low as 11 inches. While it is normal for the snowpack to start decreasing as the winter season comes to an end, the current snowpack is quite different from what it was last year. In March 2023, the maximum
Solar Eclipse 2024: A Celestial Wonder
Solar Eclipse 2024: A Celestial Wonder By Ryan Knapp As you might have heard through social media, the news, magazines, friends, family, etc., a solar eclipse is about to be viewable across North America. This rare and awe-inspiring phenomenon will take place on April 8, 2024, with the path of totality sweeping through New England. What is a Solar Eclipse? A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's orbit intersects the Earth's orbital plane. During this alignment, the Moon casts its shadow on the Earth's surface, creating a region of darkness. The eclipse's totality, where the Moon completely blocks the
Meet Seek the Peak Steward Chris Nichols
Meet Seek the Peak Steward Chris Nichols By MWOBS Staff Mount Washington Observatory’s largest fundraising event, Seek the Peak, has long encouraged participants to seek their peak by picking a walk in the woods of their choosing, whether in the White Mountains or their backyard, while raising funds for the organization's research, education, and everyday operations. It is a great honor and pleasure to learn about the individuals who make this event an immense success year after year and the stories behind their involvement. For some, it is about getting together with friends and family in the great Granite
A Closer Look at Lenticular Clouds
A Closer Look at Lenticular Clouds By Karl Philippoff I grew up in New Jersey, and while that was great for many reasons, one of the things my home state is missing is large mountains, both to recreate in and to see from afar. Living on top of New England’s tallest mountain for 8 days at time has served to replace this something that was missing and then some! One of the attractions of living up here is to be at an excellent viewpoint to have bird’s eye view of the clouds (when we are not in fog, of course)
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