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

Aurora Borealis 2017-07-18 13:27:44.000 - Jillian Reynolds, Summit Intern   Also known as “Northern Lights”, the Aurora Borealis is one of Nature’s greatest spectacles. It is the result of electrons colliding with the upper parts of the Earth’s atmosphere (NOAA, 2017). The electrons are energized through acceleration processes in the downwind tail of the magnetosphere. The accelerated electrons follow the magnetic field of Earth down to the Polar Regions where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere (NOAA, 2017). In these collisions, the electrons transfer their energy to the atmosphere thus exciting the atoms

Mountain Thunderstorms 2017-07-14 17:25:31.000 - Nicole Tallman, Summit Intern   Let's set the scene: It is a beautiful day in the valley with blue skies, calm winds, and warm temperatures. You and some friends happily decide to take a hike up to the summit of Mount Washington. Your hike begins fantastically with beautiful conditions but the closer you get to your destination the more the weather is changing and the clouds are beginning to appear, some looking more ominous and darker than others. Why is it that in the mountains clouds and thunderstorms tend to appear out of thin air?

We're Seeking Our Peak: No CAPE Without CIN 2017-07-13 10:13:55.000 - Mike Carmon, Senior Weather Observer & Education Specialist   With Seek the Peak 2017 approaching faster than a speeding bullet, I'd like to take a little time and chat about our shift's 2017 fundraising team, debuting this summer.   The shift of myself, Adam Gill, and Caleb Meute have been a unit since late April of 2016, with various interns, museum attendants, and summit volunteers coming and going throughout that timeframe. The exact makeup of a shift of observers is vitally essential, as a cohesive team can act to

Cooking in the Clouds 2017-07-12 06:36:18.000 - Elizabeth Seabury and Steve Hempel, Summit Volunteers     It's only been a week, but now it's time to go. We've seen all kinds of weather, but unfortunately, no snow!   (However, we have placed our bets on the Mt. Jefferson patch, when will it finally melt? Will my guess be the match?)   As we prepare to leave the mountain, it's time for us to say, how much we've enjoyed our time here, and thank you for our stay.   The weather is amazing, the clouds, the wind, the sun. But it's

Weather Myths: True or False? 2017-07-10 14:39:52.000 - Margaret Jividen, Summit Intern   Here at the Observatory, we enjoy not only educating others on meteorology, but also learning! No matter your age, I’m sure you’ve heard (and maybe even believed!) some of these weather myths: Myth #1: Toilets flush the opposite way in the Southern Hemisphere because of the Coriolis Effect. Verdict: FALSE! The truth: The way a toilet spins when it flushes has nothing more to it than the way the plumbing and toilet itself is built. The Coriolis Effect does exist: it is the deflection of an object