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2011-03-15 14:01:21.000 – Mike Carmon,  Staff Meteorologist

The Bright White Summit

Back from the dead.Alive and kickin’.

Name your cliche…but whichever way you slice it, I’m back on the summit, if only for a very brief stint.

As Stacey alluded to in yesterday’s comments, I had a nasty scuffle with the flu, which fortunately commenced before my scheduled return trip to the summit, allowing me to carry out this battle in the comfort of my own home, rather than up here.

I’ve had a lot of firsts in my life since working at the Obs, but the contraction of this nasty bug was not a foreseen or welcome one. Name any symptom that pops into your mind, and I spent a portion of my week acting it out, right down to some good ol’ fashioned hallucinations due to high fever! It was quite the experience, but one I’m elated to say is rapidly waning.

I returned to the summit yesterday after five days in a horizontal pose to finish out the shift’s final three days, and I have taken Steve’s place on days, as he graciously filled my vacancy on nights during my absence. It’s been quite a while since I’ve worked days, and sometimes I forget what a different world the summit is during the day. Our weather yesterday and today has been nothing short of placid, with clear skies, seasonable temperatures, and light winds characterizing a solid 36 hours now. Performing an observation early this morning reminded me of my late-night (4-5AM) observations during the summer, when the sun has already risen, the day is new and unmarred, and all is quiet as far as the eye can see.

The only exception–perhaps a considerable one–is that, in the case of this morning, my day was as fresh and unwritten as the journey of the sun across the sky, instead of drawing to a welcome conclusion, in the case of summer “nights.” As much as I enjoy occasionally venturing to the light side of the shift and merging my operations with theirs, I am very much craving my return to the dark side next shift. Nighttime’s disposition, with all of its nuances and mystery, is much more familiar and enjoyable to me.

Mike Carmon,  Staff Meteorologist