Kind of Nice.

2011-05-16 23:15:05.000 – Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist

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As the quasi-stationary low remains stalled to the south, the moist flow over New England continues. On the summits, this low has meant persistent fog, drizzle, rain showers, relatively low winds (for summit standards) and mild May temperatures. Most would simply brush these conditions off as bland after three days straight of fairly unchanged weather but I am kind of enjoying it. Read that I didn’t say I that I am loving it. I would gladly take a calm sunny day with 100+ mile visibility over what we have been getting these past few days. I would also take a densely foggy day with 100+mph winds over these past few days as well just to give me something to talk about. But we aren’t getting either of those currently, we are just in this limbo pattern and holding and it’s been kind of nice.

It’s been kind of nice because weather like this allows for quick and safe weather observations. After a winter like we and most of New England had, it’s a nice change of pace. No deicing. No layering up. No 45 degree tilt into the winds as I’m getting the precipitation can. No little brushes for the rime ice. No crowbar swinging. No ice pellet facial scrubbing. No shoveling. No goggles, gloves, or winter boots. No fear of being flung down to the ground and slid across/off the observation deck. No worrying about losing our internet connection to submit my observation. None of this, just a quick outer layer (my EMS Helix Jacket) a flashlight and a quick pop outside to gather all my required weather data then it’s back inside, some quick coding, then back to my other tasks. So, it’s been kind of nice; of course I say that now in May with several more months with storms like this. So it might be kind of nice now but by August, I’m sure I’ll be itching to once again layer up, tilt into the wind, and fight off the elements as I stand, crowbar in hand, as one of the summits ice fighters/weather observers/meteorologists.

Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist