Mount Washington Observatory Observer Blog
Mount Washington Fall Almanac and a 2024 Seasonal Outlook
Mount Washington Fall Almanac and a 2024 Seasonal Outlook By Alex Branton As we move deeper into the month of September, New England’s most notorious season, fall, is nearly upon us. Reflecting on a warmer than normal and slightly wetter than normal summer in the White Mountains, folks across the region are ready for cooler temperatures and autumn colors. On Mount Washington, the atmosphere has already given us a glimpse of the season ahead with two icing events (Image 1) and our first measurable snowfall. Meteorologically, fall has already begun, with the season being defined by the months of
My Summer Internship Recap
My Summer Internship Recap By George Mousmoules It is hard to even begin to describe all that has happened in the last three months during my time at Mt. Washington. Between writing my first Higher Summits forecast, experiencing a microburst, hiking through the gorgeous scenery, watching fireworks from the tower on the 4th of July, recording a new daily record high, and so much more, it is impossible to pick a favorite moment. Each day brought a different challenge and new opportunities to advance my understanding of both meteorology and life on the summit. Taking in the Milky
Reflecting On My Summer in the Clouds
Reflecting On My Summer in the Clouds By Maya Hartley Arriving at the summit of Mount Washington for the first time ever just a couple of months ago was a moment I will never forget, and after spending 6 weeks living, working, eating, and having so much fun up here, I know that saying goodbye to the summit will be unforgettable as well. Not only have I greatly expanded my knowledge of meteorology, but I have also learned so much more about the Rockpile itself than I ever thought I would. Thanks to Alex, Charlie, and Alexis, the observers
Disaster in the Naugatuck River Valley
Disaster in the Naugatuck River Valley By Francis Tarasiewicz On the afternoon of August 18th, a roughly 31-mile swath of the Naugatuck River Valley in southwestern Connecticut experienced a generational rainfall event. Over a 6-hour period, a series of training thunderstorms brought 1 in 1000 year rainfall totals to this highly sensitive and populated watershed. The human impacts, while highly localized were no less devastating. As of the writing of this blog three fatalities have been confirmed along with dozens of swift water rescues and nearly 100 evacuations taking place during the storm. Some of the hardest hit were
Summer Internship Highlights
Summer Internship Highlights By Jacob Garside I’m back again! This summer has flown by and I can't believe this internship is already over. For those of you just joining, my name is Jacob Garside, and I am one of the summer interns here on the summit. As a background, I’ve been entranced with Mount Washington and the observatory since I was a kid, and now that the internship is closing up I can express just how obsessed I am without being embarrassed! I first applied to this internship as a sophomore or junior in high school. I had no
A Tribute to Colleagues, Nature, and Research on Mount Washington
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
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
Remembering Guy Gosselin
In Remembrance: Guy Gosselin By Rob Kirsch | July 20, 2024 Quodumque Est Durus, Nobis Maxime Placet Life Trustee and Former Executive Director Guy Gosselin died during the early morning on March 7, 2024. He was a lifelong resident of Gorham, NH, a consistent contributor to his community and state, a father of three, a grandfather and great grandfather to more, an intellect in the spirit of the renaissance and a friend and mentor to hundreds who had the privilege to cross paths with him. Guy was influential in more ways than this brief remembrance can describe, and he
Overview of Rain on Snow Research
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
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
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