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

How's the view up there? 2016-08-06 16:52:35.000 - Christopher Hohman, Summer Intern   One of the most common reasons people hike, or head up to the top of this mountain in the first place, really is to see if they can catch a good view. Sounds simple enough, but sadly we are at the whim of the weather to actually get these spectacular views. There is however some forecasting tools anyone can use to actually increase their chances of getting good visibility, and perhaps plan their trip around these forecasted days. Of course the first thing to look at is

Science in the Mountains 2016-08-05 18:27:48.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   Our ninth annual Science in the Mountains series continues with two more discussions left this summer. The first will take place this coming Wednesday (August 10th) where Georgia Murray of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) will give the audience an update on the status of the AMC alpine monitoring project around the White Mountains. The last discussion of the season will be Wednesday, August 17th where we will be exploring the climate and forest history of New England. Both discussions will start at 7 pm at our

The Science Behind Sunsets 2016-08-04 17:42:05.000 - Tim Greene, Intern             Here at the Observatory, we are privy to some spectacular sunsets and sunrises whenever we are in the clear and the sun is not otherwise obscured. Even the most stunning pictures we take fail to fully capture the vibrant hues that paint the sky like a watercolor. Regardless of the camera you are shooting with (of course some do a better job than others, personally I shoot with a Nikon D7100), it is impossible to get a picture that accurately portrays the precise color and luminescence of

Where You at Winter?! 2016-08-02 20:38:54.000 - Caleb Meute, Weather Observer/Meteorologist   This week has sure been the opposite of our last shift up here on the summit. Our previous shift was July 13th – July 20th and that week I had no more than 5 observations where the summit was in the clear. When we got to the base of the mountain on our down going shift change, we could see further than 1/16 of a mile and it was actually a bit uncomfortable. It did make driving to Burlington a bit easier though. This week was the polar

The Week of Nice Sunsets and Sunrises 2016-08-01 20:54:02.000 - Adam Gill, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   This week on the summit has had quite the number of phenomenal sunrises and sunsets. This week we have been dominated by high pressure with weak fronts traversing through the region. The biggest reason that we had such perfect conditions for colorful sunrises and sunsets was due to the placement of a stubborn stationary front just to our south. The center of the high was anchored just off to the northwest and it was moving very dry air into the region in the mid

The Best Summer on the Summit 2016-07-30 17:18:45.000 - Emily Schuitema, Summit Intern   It’s almost August, and my last week as an intern at Mount Washington Observatory has arrived! I have no idea how the summer went by so fast, and I can’t believe my time here is coming to an end.   I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I accepted the offer to be an intern here in March. All I knew was that I was going to be living on top of a mountain in close quarters with a bunch of people

The Weatherman’s Curse 2016-07-29 15:40:24.000 - Claudia Pukropski, Summit Intern   It’s often believed that clouds are a Chinese symbol of good luck. Due to their beauty and change in color and shape, it’s thought that they spark people’s imaginations, leading to happiness and good fortune. Here on the summit of Mount Washington, we are lucky enough to work, live and sleep among the clouds. So one would think we would be sated with good luck. But quite the contrary is true. Among the meteorology world, there is something known as the weatherman’s curse, also referred to as a weather