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2011-04-22 19:05:22.000 – Rick Giard, Observer
Frosted Presidentials Overlook the Greening Valley
In military terms one thinks of the front as a place where one comes face to face in battle with the enemy. In meteorology there are diverse specializations, yet few that bring us into direct confrontation with the elements we study. Textbook theory and remote instrumentation provide the basic scientific framework that must be fulfilled in the field. To truly understand weather we must leave the classroom behind to venture out and experience atmospheric phenomena directly. At MWOBS we live and work daily on the front lines of meteorology. Here the theoretical is proven factual as at no other place on Earth. Far from being a sterile school structure removed from the real world, it is nature’s classroom where each day provides an invaluable education indelibly etched into our consciousness.
So, you may ask, what are we doing up here on a high rocky summit enduring the World’s Worst Weather? Where else can you observe lightning from inside a thunderstorm one day, and then walk out into a roaring maelstrom of super-cooled cloud droplets, whirling snow grains, and 115 MPH gusts the next? What staffed weather station has complete, standardized weather observation data recorded continuously since 1932? Where can you conduct a detailed study of the effects of climate change on alpine zone vegetation, in a fragment of the arctic located only a few hours drive from Boston? Only here.
With its unique environment and isolated location, no scientific institution is better suited to the advancement of our knowledge of weather and climate. MWOBS performs a vital service in the scientific community. Every hour, every day, year round we observe, record, analyze and celebrate the weather. As we celebrate another Earth Day today, I can only hope that before long all humankind will strive to make EVERY day an Earth Day. The future of Earth as a viable home for our children and grandchildren may indeed depend on it. Please consider becoming a member, and help to support this essential mission.
Rick Giard, Observer
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