I Don't Want to Go 2016-08-23 15:59:41.000 - Meredith Campbell, Summit Intern   I don’t want the summer to end. It’s that simple. I’m moving to France in a week; and I should be really excited; but mostly I’m just sad that I’m leaving Mount Washington.  Moonlit Self Portrait Taking this internship was kind of a risk for me. Knowing that I was moving overseas at the end of the summer, taking an unpaid internship probably wasn’t practical. Thankfully I never let practicality get in the way of opportunity. In combination with my other job, I worked more this summer

Making Storm Stories of My Own 2016-08-22 17:03:11.000 - Christopher Hohman, Summer Intern   One question I get asked often times up here is, “What got you into weather?” As the final hour of my internship on top the best place on Earth gets closer and closer, I thought it would be fitting to share my story. When I was a young aspiring scientist in 3rd grade, I was sitting on the couch one fateful evening watching the weather channel as a program I’d never seen before came on. I don’t remember what completely happened at the start, but I

Most Memorable Weather Event (So Far...) 2016-08-20 20:40:05.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   I was asked by fellow Observer/Meteorologist Tom Padham the other day, what my most memorable weather experience has been while working up here. With over ten years on the summit, one would think it would be easy to narrow that down to one defining weather moment. However, as I started looking back at things, choosing one moment was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be since I have so many moments to choose from. Do I choose the times where I literally

Battling the Elements 2016-08-19 09:27:22.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Meteorologist   With summer slowly coming to an end and winter just around the corner on the summit I find myself thinking of some of my most memorable weather events on the Rockpile. I’ve worked up here for roughly 3 and a half years now, and seen more than my fair share of weather, from severe summer thunderstorms to complete whiteout conditions and category 3 hurricane force winds. I love all the weather I get to experience up here on the summit, but I do have a least favorite: ice storms.

Until Next Time 2016-08-16 16:14:32.000 - Andrea LaRocca, Summit Intern   13 weeks ago I began my internship on Mount Washington. The summit was coated in a thick covering of rime ice. Now, as the lively mountainside glows a glistening green, my time here has unfortunately come to end. This summer has been everything I could have ever imagined and more. The countless displays of beauty this mountain provides will surely be missed as well as the people I have met. It's hard to put into words what I am feeling right now. Mount Washington, you will forever be etched

My Summer on the Summit 2016-08-13 17:02:21.000 - Claudia Pukropski, Summit Intern   As the last week of my summer internship at the Mount Washington Observatory comes to a close, it's nice to take a look back and reflect on my memories of this world-famous place. This summer has been a season of personal growth for me as I am always looking for ways to challenge and improve myself overall as a person. Getting this internship was a push in the right direction, not only in my academic career but also in life experiences. Being from New Jersey, I have

Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away 2016-08-11 16:21:45.000 - Mike Carmon, Senior Weather Observer & Education Specialist   When's the last time you've observed a long, multi-day, soaking rain? If you live in New Hampshire, it's probably difficult to remember! It's been an exceptionally dry 2016 across the state of New Hampshire. This began with the well-below-average snowfall this winter across almost the entirety of the northeastern United States. Here on Mount Washington, our winter season came in nearly 6-and-a-half feet below normal for snowfall. This distinct lack of snowfall results in a below-average snow-melt, kicking the spring and summer season

Reflections... 2016-08-09 07:12:56.000 - Tim Greene, Intern           On the eve of my final day on the summit, I reflect back on the numerous aspects of this internship I am able to take away as I move forward with my career.  Let me start by saying I am indebted to the Mount Washington Observatory for the opportunity they extended in selecting me to intern at the legendary Home of the World’s Worst Weather.  I got to experience a little bit of everything Mount Washington has to offer this summer; including spectacular sunsets and sunrises, giant lenticular clouds, 100+ mph

Sweet Martin 2016-08-08 17:59:04.000 - Meredith Campbell, Summit Intern   Today is International Cat Day, so I thought I’d give a little love to my favorite fur ball, Marty. A lot of people love Marty, and rightfully so. He is an awesome cat that I personally adore. He’s super soft, purrs really low, and is very (sometimes painfully) independent. In honor of this adorable holiday I thought I’d answer some common questions about Sweet Martin (not his really name, just what I call him). Does the cat live here? Yes. The observatory is staffed 24/7/365. We live here, and Marty

When will Winter Arrive? 2016-08-07 19:21:54.000 - Michael Dorfman, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   It may feel like the dog days of summer to everyone in the valley, but the observers on Mount Washington are already planning for the winter months! When does winter-like weather come to the summit? The short answer is (statistically speaking) as early as next month. Let’s take a look at some figures to get an idea. Two of the main indicators that winter is on its way are (rime/glaze) ice growth and snowfall. For those unfamiliar, rime and/or glaze ice accrues whenever the summit is in