My Last Week on Mt Washington 2017-08-08 07:29:29.000 - Elizabeth Perry, Summit Intern   Somehow, my internship at the Observatory is coming to a close. These past few days, I’ve been able to reflect on everything I’ve learned over the past weeks on the summit and a few things I have grown to appreciate here. Since I study geology in college, I haven’t had many chances to study weather forecasting besides very briefly in my one meteorology elective that I took last fall. I don’t think I will ever get the chance again to create meaningful forecasts for outdoor enthusiasts

♫♫♫...A Total Eclipse of the ̶H̶e̶a̶r̶t̶ Sun...♫♫♫ 2017-08-07 05:14:18.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   While reading a science blog two years ago, I learned about the solar eclipse that would be traversing the US on August 21, 2017. As soon as I saw the date, I went to my calendar and started counting the weeks to see whether or not I would be working. Sure enough, I would be. So I added a note to my digital calendar in bold letters SOLAR ECLIPSE with three scheduled reminders so I wouldn’t forget. Come to find out, those reminders weren’t

Hurricane Season 2017-08-06 15:55:48.000 - Taylor Regan, Weather Observer   Up on the summit of Mount Washington, Observers regularly experience hurricane force winds as they go about their daily duties. In fact, in the winter time, the summit is blasted by 74+ mph winds nearly every other day. But for much of the world, winds this high are fairly uncommon, and when they strike the coast, as a tropical cyclone bringing lightning, torrential downpours, and potentially hail and deadly storm surge, the results can be devastating.   Hurricane Season begins June 1st, and lasts until November 30th, but the majority

A Tale of Two Internships 2017-08-04 17:00:27.000 - Margaret Jividen, Summit Intern   Growing up in Western New York, I spent much of my summers in the woods. I loved the mountains, and my mother called me “little Appalachia girl” for how I’d leave home in a crisp sundress, and would return with a bucket full of natural treasures, dirt smudged everywhere, and hair reminiscent of a bird’s nest. Whether it was in the shallow woods of my back yard, or on excursion to a state or national park, I was happiest outdoors. My naturally pale skin would become deeply

Differences in Precipitation 2017-08-02 07:44:05.000 - Jillian Reynolds, Summit Intern      One of the questions that I usually get as a meteorologist is “what is the difference between freezing rain, sleet and hail?” Well, I am here today to tell you the differences in how each of these precipitation is formed and what they would look like to you on the surface.     The first type of precipitation that I will teach you about is freezing rain. Freezing rain develops in a freezing layer then will enter a thick layer of warm air that will make it melt. The liquid precipitation

July Statistics 2017-07-31 15:52:22.000 - Adam Gill, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   Since the month of July is almost over, lets look at some of the statistics for the month! Temperature wise, as of this posting, we are exactly average with 49.1 degrees for the month. Year Temperature (F) 1955 53.45  2013 53.08 2006 52.82 1952 52.43 1959 52.32 2005 52.19 1994 52.10 1949 51.84 1995 51.70 2010 51.66 1988 51.60 1937 51.52 1970 51.13 1975 51.13 2008 50.95 1947 50.92 2011 50.85 1964 50.82 1979 50.82 1999 50.73 1935 50.52 2012 50.40 1973 50.39 2016 50.39 1967 50.10 1944 49.87

Let There Be Light(ning)! 2017-07-29 20:03:58.000 - Sam Webber, Summit Intern   The power of nature, in my opinion, is one of the most awe inspiring things to witness on Earth. One phenomenon that I find particularly intriguing is the power and unpredictability of lightning. Some may underestimate how dangerous lightning can actually be, and this is something that I have noticed throughout my internship as people have been casually walking around on the summit while thunderstorms approach the mountain; this is a VERY bad idea! While lightning is a beautiful display of how the forces of nature work, it

Mid-Afternoon Break on the Summit 2017-07-27 20:44:08.000 - Julia Moreland, Summit Intern   The weather here on the summit is always beautiful. Whether it is thunderstorms or rain, strong winds and clear mornings, or constant fog for days on end (I can touch the clouds, what could be better than this!), there is always something to admire. Yesterday, however, was likely the most beautiful day that I’ve witnessed during my time at the observatory. So magnificent in fact, that we had no choice but to hike down to Lake of the Clouds. After many weeks of waiting for the perfect

A Very Big Thank-You: Seek the Peak 2017 2017-07-25 13:21:44.000 - Taylor Regan, Weather Observer   Over the past few days, several hundred hikers have descended upon the trails, mostly in the White Mountain region, the result of a fundraising effort to benefit the non-profit Mount Washington Observatory. The yearly fundraiser culminated in a dinner at the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road to celebrate the hardworking fundraisers who came out to show support for the Observatory. The dinner and “after-party” had gear giveaways, demos, and other interesting tents set up for participants to explore, while the turkey dinner

The AMC Hut System: A Cornerstone of the White Mountain Hiking History and Experience 2017-07-20 13:11:17.000 - Elizabeth Perry, Summit Intern   As an intern at the Observatory, one of my most important day-to-day tasks is writing the short term (48 hour) forecast in the afternoons that gets posted online on our website. It is easy to forget how crucial this information can be for hikers on the multitude of trails in the White Mountain’s higher summits. Similarly, every morning, an intern uses the radio system to report out the morning forecast to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s famous hut system