The Cold is Here, But Not to Stay 2015-12-19 17:08:20.000 - Mike Carmon, Co-Director of Summit Operations   The uncharacteristically-warm December has taken a brief hiatus. While we were still experiencing the uncanny warmth yesterday that usually comes in September/October, the first truly potent cold front of the winter season came charging through last night, which has sent temperatures tumbling down to more expected levels. It's an interesting scenario: it feels much colder, almost too cold, but we're finally right about where we should be for December temperatures. And it only took nearly 20 days! I guess we're getting accustomed

Wintry Weather Ahead! 2015-12-17 19:55:17.000 - Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Meteorologist   After a very warm and mild start to the winter season so far across the higher elevations of New England, we’re all anxious for more in the way of snow, cold, and the high winds that make Mount Washington famous. The summit has been seeing rain and freezing rain today as temperatures hover near the freezing mark, which is roughly 15 degrees above average for mid-December. Behind this system much colder air will move in to northern New England. Beginning Saturday, temperatures will struggle to rise out of the single

The Science Behind Kelvin Helmholtz Wave Clouds 2015-12-14 09:35:25.000 - Andrew Henry, Summit Intern   While we did not receive any #MWOMetMonday questions this week, one of our Facebook followers posted the following picture of some unusual clouds, wondering what they were.        The clouds Johanna snapped a picture of late yesterday afternoon appear to be Kelvin Helmholtz clouds, also called billows. These clouds resemble breaking ocean waves, with rolling eddies seen at the top of the cloud layer. Kelvin Helmholtz clouds are named after two scientists, Lord Kelvin and Hermann Von Helmholtz, who studied the physics that

Winter on the Summit? 2015-12-12 17:06:51.000 - Michael Dorfman, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   Just like much of the valley, Mount-Washington-style winter has not yet enveloped the summit. Typically, we’re using the snow cat at least partway up the Auto Road at this point, but almost the entire road is bare pavement and easily passible with our chained up truck. It’s not quite as wintry as we’re used to for this time of the year on the summit, but the temperatures and conditions we’re seeing could seem like full-on winter for most people living at sea level. The shoulder seasons typically

Warm Weather Ahead! 2015-12-07 14:57:47.000 - Adam Gill, Summit Intern   It has been warm here in New England so far this December! The question is, will this warmth continue for a little while longer? The answer is yes for at least the next couple of weeks as a typical El Nino weather pattern sets up across the country. The warm waters in the Eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean causes warmer air to reside further north in the pacific than normal. This changes the path of the polar jet stream and the subtropical jet stream causing them to shift further north

Dear Santa 2015-12-04 17:06:46.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   Dear Santa,    Can you believe it has been a year already!? How are things in the North Pole? Hopefully all is well and the elves are putting the final touches on your “Nice List.”   Hopefully we landed on the said “Nice” list once again this year… I like to think that we acted kindly and respectfully to all our interns, guests, friends, families and pet (Marty Kitty). By the way, Marty sends his regards – he’s looking forward to the special treats, litter and food you traditionally bring him.

The Night Shift 2015-12-02 16:50:35.000 - Marty Basch, Windswept Editor   There's a question that never gets old around here. What's it like to live and work up there? Living and working at 6,288 feet certainly has its challenges. The commute's unlike any other in these parts and those at the top see everything from sublime sultry sunsets to sideways rapid-fire hail that can hurt wicked bad. But what about at night? While we're sleeping Observers Ryan Knapp and Tom Padham (and Marty) have the place to themselves, heading out into the darkness for those hourly observations that keep the

How Do Frost Heaves Form? 2015-11-30 18:14:22.000 - Michael Dorfman, Weather Observer/IT Specialist   I’ve heard people ask questions, especially this time of the year, about frost heaves. Seemingly defying the laws of gravity, ice often pushes earth up with impressive force, lifting hundreds of pounds of material and potentially doing serious damage to structures in its path. How does this form? A logical explanation to frost heaves is the expansion of water as it freezes. This would explain why ice is forced upward, however the 10% expansion in volume of frozen water does not account for the impressive distance

What I am Thankful For 2015-11-28 09:08:51.000 - Andrew Henry, Summit Intern   With Thanksgiving earlier this week, I have been thinking what I’m thankful for at the Observatory. The first thing I am thankful for is being selected to intern at Mount Washington Observatory. This internship is a dream come true for extreme weather enthusiasts like myself. Since beginning my internship in August I am thankful for the opportunity to learn about mountain weather through composing specialized forecasts for the higher summits of the White Mountains and helping with weather observations. I am thankful for the wonderful views from

A Happy Thanksgiving On The Summit 2015-11-26 22:17:36.000 - Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist   Mount Washington Observatory is a manned weather station that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We work in two crews for eight days at a time, swapping out every Wednesday (typically). This all means that regardless of holidays, one crew will be up here manning operations and observing the weather. This year’s crew, Kaitlyn, Mike D, Andrew, and myself had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. And while it is hard to be away from family and friends for the holidays,