Winter on its way

2012-09-05 23:20:05.000 – Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist

NULL

With the month of September in full swing, ‘transition’ is the word.

The days are growing shorter, the temperatures just a little cooler, and the autumn rains have commenced.

Up on the summit, the Auto Road is closing a little earlier, the volume of visitors has noticeably decreased, and the number of hikers is dwindling.

Inside the Observatory, work has begun on wintertime projects, preparations in anticipation of snowfall have started, and our fall interns have replaced our summertime ones.

When my shift left the summit last Wednesday, temperatures had bottomed out below freezing overnight, and some light icing had accumulated on the deck and a few other surfaces. After some warm and wet weather for the first few days of this shift, it looks like a strong cold front on Saturday will bring some more chilly weather early next work-week.

We’re talking Sunset Soiree, we’re talking rime ice, and we’re talking snow chains. As quickly as last winter seemed to fade into what has proven to be a pleasant summer, the warm temperatures and sunny skies will just as promptly make way for winter’s harsh retribution, in the form of plentiful snowfall and frigid temperatures.

Mt. Washington is the proverbial harbinger of winter for New England, so we’ll be lucky enough to witness this annual transition first!

Observer Footnote: Less than 10 tickets still remain for this Saturday’s Sunset Soiree. So, act now and claim yours before it is too late!

Mike Carmon,  Weather Observer/Meteorologist