Glaze Ice vs. Rime Ice on the Summit 2017-03-28 22:06:31.000 - Caleb Meute, Weather Observer/ Meteorologist   Another system is winding down atop the Rockpile and temperatures are beginning to fall in its wake. As of my last observation, the temperature was sitting just above freezing, but that will soon change as a cold front charges into New England. An unimpressive snow pack over the summit has dwindled to an average of 5 inches thanks to 24 hours with the mercury sitting above freezing. Before temperatures rose above the freezing mark, several hours elapsed with the mercury hovering just below

Spring across the Higher Summits 2017-03-26 17:30:59.000 - Adam Gill, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   Spring at high elevations will always come at a later time than in the valleys. The summit of Mount Washington will still have snow on it after many of the plants in the valley have started to green up. There are several factors as to why that is! First of all, being at a higher elevation, the temperature in the atmosphere cools with height. This is known as a lapse rate and the average lapse rate is 6.5°C per kilometer or about 3.5°F per 1,000 feet,

The Trip of a Lifetime 2017-03-24 15:48:40.000 - Mike Carmon, Senior Weather Observer & Education Specialist   Have you been contemplating a visit to the top of the Northeast's highest peak amidst its most exciting season? If the thought's been in the back of your mind, but you haven't (for one reason or another) jumped on the opportunity, there is one last shot for the winter of 2016-2017! A few spots have just opened up on two trips scheduled to embark to Mount Washington’s summit via Mount Washington Observatory’s Snow Cat next week. The first opportunity is on Thursday, March

Another Record Low Coming? 2017-03-21 12:59:12.000 - Nathan Flinchbaugh, Summit Intern   If you’ve been in the Northeast this month, you don’t need a meteorologist to tell you it’s been cold. It almost seems as if February and March have traded their weather to one another. The summit of Mount Washington has been no exception. Even though March is still very much a wintry time, with 45 inches of snow falling on average, the summit staff is continuing to keep tabs on a March not seen for a long time. Despite the fact that we still have over a week

Welcome Spring! 2017-03-20 09:21:00.000 - Taylor Regan, Weather Observer   Today, March 20th, is a glorious day. Let me tell you why. It is the first day of spring! Or, to be more specific, it is the Vernal Equinox, and generally regarded as the first day of spring by most (meteorologists excluded). The March Equinox heralds spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and fall in the Southern Hemisphere, and is the point where day and night are just about equal in most time zones around the world. The Equinox is celebrated at the same time across the globe, regardless of time

A Storm to Remember 2017-03-15 09:24:48.000 - Mike Carmon, Senior Weather Observer & Education Specialist   The winds on the morning of Tuesday, March 14th were feeble at best—at least by the standard of a mountain renowned for its regularly high wind speeds. Winds of 10-25 mph out of the southwest brought an eerie lull to the start of a day that promised to be a tempestuous one. Thick clouds obscured any promise of morning sunlight from above, and the clouds with tops below the level of the summit brought that familiar sense of isolation to the summit staff—perhaps an

Viral Video and Impending Nor'easter 2017-03-11 19:40:03.000 - Caleb Meute, Weather Observer / Meteorologist   Thank goodness I have been taking my Vitamin C up here because we went viral. Weather Observer Adam Gill and IT Director Keith Garrett decided to have a little fun on Thursday and ventured onto the deck to play around in winds sustained near 100 mph with gusts exceeding 110 mph. Keith filmed Adam holding the hurricane flag and struggling to make forward progress while walking across the deck. The footage they captured shows the true power that winds of that magnitude exert on one’s

Winter has Returned! For now 2017-03-09 16:32:15.000 - Adam Gill, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   Today we have winds that have well exceeded the century mark with a peak gust of 119 mph! For a short period of time, we were even sustained over 100 mph for about 8 minutes but it was far too gusty to try the century club. Winds have since been breezy, sustained around hurricane force with frequent gusts into the 90s. The peak gust of 119 exceeded my forecasted peak gusts of 100 mph yesterday afternoon. Shortly after submitting the forecast I saw reports of gusts

Mt Washington Backcountry Ski Festival 2017-03-07 04:49:21.000 - The Observatory Staff, Mount Washington Observatory   If you are in the Mount Washington Valley this coming weekend, March 11-12, 2017, our friend Mark Synnott of Synnott Mountain Guides will be hosting the First Annual Mt Washington Backcountry Ski Festival presented by The North Face. Experienced guides will be leading skiers in sessions geared for a variety of different interests and skill levels. Some topics include: Intro to Backcountry Skiing; Steep & Deep Ski Techniques; Avalanche Awareness; and Huntington Ravine Gully Skiing. Festival participants can also ski on their own, enjoying the

Mount Washington-Home of the Country’s Least Sunshine? 2017-03-06 10:31:30.000 - Nathan Flinchbaugh, Summit Intern   If you’re lucky enough, you’ve had the opportunity to stand on the summit and experience the amazing view that stretches 130 miles, offering views of the Atlantic and nearby Canada. And if you’re at all familiar with the weather on Mount Washington, you know that you’re lucky, as these days are few and far between. The summit spends a good portion of the year in the clouds, which can quickly suffocate your view from 130 miles, to barely able to see your own feet in