Historical Posts Archives - Page 38 of 378 - Mount Washington Observatory

February 2018

Wind Chill Advisory VS Warning

2018-02-15 10:36:20.000 – Jillian Reynolds, Summit Intern

You may have heard or seen in our forecasts that a “Wind Chill Advisory/Warning is in effect until…” After hearing or seeing those alerts, you may think “what exactly does that mean?” I will explain the differences in criteria between both. But first, what is ‘wind chill’?

The National Weather Service (NWS) defines wind chill as “the rate of heat loss from the human body”. The combination of cool temperatures and wind creates wind chill. As the winds increase, heat is driven away from the body at a faster rate, as both the skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature decrease.

When calculating wind chill up here on the mountain, we like to use the NWS’ wind chill chart (shown below). This chart helps us visualize what the potential range of wind chill would be, as well as the amount of time it would take for someone to receive frostbite.

Caption: NWS Wind Chill Chart Using Wind Speed and Temperature.

For the summit of Mount Washington, if the wind chill is between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, a wind chill advisory will be issued. According to the chart above, one could expect to get frostbite within 10 minutes if there is any exposed skin.

If the wind chill is any less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero on the summit, then a wind chill warning will be issued. The NWS Wind Chill Chart shows that you could get frostbite within 5 minutes if there is any visible skin.

The colder the wind chill is, the greater your risk of obtaining hypothermia is. If you or your clothes are wet, hypothermia will become even more likely.

For both alerts, it is important that you stay dry, stay covered, dress in layers, and stay informed. If you plan on hiking up to the summit, always check out our forecasts first on our website (https://www.mountwashington.org/experience-the-weather/higher-summit-forecast.aspx). That way, you will know how to prepare for your ascent!

Jillian Reynolds, Summit Intern

Hold the Brie – Cheesy Valentine’s Wishes from the Summit

2018-02-13 12:19:20.000 – Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Back in elementary school, Valentine’s Day kind of had a Christmas vibe to it – decorations, arts and crafts revolving around the holiday, the color red, card exchanges, and candy. For arts and craft time ahead of Valentine’s Day, one thing that was big at my school was creating Valentine Boxes. We would bring a tissue box or shoe box a day or two prior to V-Day and decorate the box to reflect our personality and become the receptacle for V-Day cards when the pseudo-holiday arrived. Valentine Day cards would range from the personal homemade variety, to cheddar-tastic pop-culture referenced store bought cards. We would then drop the cards in our classmates little boxes and at the end of the day open all the cards, read way too much into what the various cards meant from crushes at the time, and then become revved up on Valentines candy and sweets prior to be shipped home.

Thinking back on those little cards I used to buy (yea, I wasn’t motivated enough to create my own) for my 15 or so classmates, I got to thinking – what would the cards look like if I had to design them around my current life on and around Mt Washington? I grab a few of my images over the past year and set out to create a few I think work. So, let’s open Mt Washington’s hypothetical Valentine Box and see the cards I might have thrown in it…

Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

An Experience of a Lifetime

2018-02-12 11:13:27.000 – CareyAnne Howlett, Winter Research Intern

Hi! My name is CareyAnne Howlett. I am a junior at Plymouth State University studying Meteorology. I was lucky enough to be the intern up here at the summit of Mt. Washington for two weeks in January doing research. What an adventure it been was!

Out of all the weeks I could have been there, I was fortunate enough to be there for two of the most exciting weeks in January! I was able to have a front-row seat for 2018’s first nor’easter, witness record-breaking cold temperature AND record-breaking high temperatures! Not many people can say they observed an 83-degree temperature swing in less than a week, but I can! The first week’s temperatures dropped down to a bone-chilling 38 degrees below zero and the next week, temperatures got up to 45 degrees above zero! You could say it was a weather roller coaster during my stay on the Rock Pile!

I was able to go learn the ins and outs of the operations on the summit. I learned how to make and submit observations, deicing the instruments, and even was able to do my first radio show! The research that I was doing during my time up there, was to find out how the transfer of air masses can change the summit conditions. If forecasters at the summit know what air mass is about to come through, they could potentially have a better forecast of the summit conditions.

I cannot thank the observers enough for giving me an experience of a lifetime. I would also like to thank the volunteers for making us dinners and being such great company.

https://youtu.be/ML-YfHHuqyk

CareyAnne Howlett, Winter Research Intern

Just Your Average Weather Predicting Groundhog

2018-02-10 15:34:29.000 – Taylor Regan, Weather Observer

One week ago at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a spritely groundhog by the name of Phil scurried out of his cozy tree-trunk home, saw his unsightly shadow, and proclaimed the impending extension of winter by a terrifying six weeks. How accurate is a groundhog at predicting the end of winter? And where did this arguably equal parts bizarre and endearing tradition come from?

February 2^nd, Groundhog Day, dates back in its significance to the ancient celebration of the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The Celts originally celebrated the day as Imbolc, which marked the beginning of spring. Later, as Christianity spread through Europe, the celebration evolved into a day called Candlemas. Belief held that if the day of Candlemas was sunny, it foretold of another 40 days of cold and snow.

The German people took this belief on step further, proclaiming the day could only be considered sunny if small animals such as badgers were able to see their shadow. As German immigrants made their way to Pennsylvania in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, they brought this tradition with them, favoring the native groundhog as the source of their springtime proclamation.

Image from Wikipedia.

The first Groundhog Day celebration took place in 1887, the idea of newspaper editor Clymer H. Freas. As the story of “Punxsutawney Phil’s” predictive prowess propagated, the nation became enraptured with the rodent, and the day became etched in American history.

So, how does the prophesizing groundhog fair upon making his prediction? Not too well, I’m afraid. He averages just about 38% percent accuracy when looking back at each yearly verdict since 1887! While we don’t forecast the length of winter up here on the summit, if you’re heading out and about in the White Mountains, or just find yourself curious about the weather, check out our 48 hour higher summits forecast! It’s produced twice daily at 5 am and 5 pm, and can be found on our website at mountwashington.org/forecast.

Taylor Regan, Weather Observer

(Don’t) Blow Me Away!

2018-02-08 14:31:01.000 – Sarah Schulte, Summit Intern

If you Google images or video for the Mount Washington Observatory, you’re going to find a lot of clips and pictures about our observers being blown backwards, knocked flat and pushed around. As fun as is this is to watch, it does raise a few questions concerning safety. During my first week here, I’ve heard some specific questions asked and, not originally knowing the answers myself, I wanted to share them with you all!

Has anyone ever been blown off the mountain?

Despite how high the winds can get at the summit, no one has ever been blown off the Rockpile. With the winds blowing horizontally across the deck and the force of gravity acting downward, movement is also downward. Because of this, a gust of high wind won’t pick your body up and throw you through the air; instead, it’s going to knock you down and push you along the ground like a curling rock. In one particular YouTube video, observer Mike Dorfman jumped into 100+ mph winds and was immediately punched back to the ground! Since the Observatory deck (where we perform observations) is railed, you can’t be pushed over the side once you’re down. There are also structures on the deck, such as the instrument tower and the A-frame, that allow observers some shelter from the wind if it’s interfering with their observations.

Observer Mike Dorfman taking a falling leap.

Why don’t you tie yourselves down?

We don’t wear lines when we go outside because a rope would actually present more safety issues than if we went out untethered. If the winds are high enough to knock people over, then they’ll also whip the rope around, where it could snap back and hit us. Worse, it could trip us up or get tangled around us, potentially becoming very dangerous.

So what precautions do you take?

One of the main concerns in high winds is the temperature. With the average yearly temperature at the summit being below freezing (27.3⁰ F!) and the average yearly winds hitting 35mph, wind chills can drop dangerously, posing a risk of frostbite to any exposed skin. Observers go out dressed in several wind- and water-resistant layers with their hoods secured beneath the straps of their goggles and any loose strings tucked in so that they don’t whip around.

Another hazard is flying rime ice, and this is where the goggles are vital. Rime ice is very light, and it can break off and fly around in large chunks. If there’s ice flying around, the observers will wear helmets, and the goggles keep small, high-speed ice slivers out of their eyes.

Observer Caleb Meute de-icing the tower instruments.

You don’t have to work at the top of a mountain to experience frostbite and flying debris, and with the unpredictability of New Hampshire’s mountain weather, it’s always wise to check the weather before venturing out onto the trails. It’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

Working at the Observatory can be physically taxing and unpredictable, but with proper training and safety considerations, the rewards are fantastic: an 85-year long (and growing) collection of weather data, stunning pictures and the exhilaration of experiencing weather that few people see in their lifetimes. There’s nothing like standing at the summit of the Northeast’s tallest peak and daring the weather to do its worst!

Sarah Schulte, Summit Intern

Three Snowstorms, Two Arctic Outbreaks, One Big Challenge

2018-02-01 14:13:16.000 – Mike Carmon, Senior Meteorologist & Education Specialist

This winter has thus far been another typical New England roller coaster ride, with snowstorms and rainstorms, arctic outbreaks and record high temperatures, clear days and cloudy ones, high winds and even some flooding.

After a snowy start to the Winter of 2017-2018, January brought with it the proverbial thaw that is steeped in the oldest of New England traditions. Although there were a few snowy and chilly exceptions, on the whole, January saw the near-total desolation of our finely-built snowpack that December so kindly bestowed upon the White Mountains. The finely packed powder has unfortunately turned to a pervasively slippery and sloppy mess throughout the region, creating challenges for backcountry adventurers and day-to-day commuters alike.

Change is on the way, however.

The next week of weather has summit meteorologists honing their forecasting chops, as a big challenge lies in store in the days to come.

FRIDAY:

After today (Thursday’s) minor snow storm, an arctic cold front will blast through New England, bringing a swift return of bitterly cold air. Temperatures will fall steadily on top of Mount Washington through the day on Friday and into Friday night, bottoming out in the 25-30 below zero F range overnight. Strong winds will accompany too, sending wind chills down to 65-75 below F territory during the wee hours of Saturday.

SATURDAY:

Although temperatures will be “warming” (using this term generously here) through the day on Saturday, they’ll remain chilly enough to pose lingering dangers to anyone caught outdoors unprepared. With freezing fog and breezy conditions remaining in place, Saturday will be a coldly-challenging day in the Alpine Zone with 10 below F just out of reach.

SUNDAY:

A large system will move out of the Great Lakes and speed towards the eastern seaboard on Sunday. In it’s advance, light snow will begin to fall along a frontal boundary extending northeastward from this system. The system will intensify though as it draws closer, spreading snowfall across most of New England (with mixing possible in coastal locations) late Sunday through the overnight and into early Monday morning. There is still a good deal of uncertainty in the track of this storm, but a significant Nor’easter type event is a decent possibility to wrap up the first weekend of February.

Caption: Sunday Night’s Potential Storm

MONDAY:

As Sunday night’s storm system quickly exits to the east, another push of cold air will rush in behind the low, bringing another brief cool-down along with some breezy conditions throughout the Northeast. The newly fallen and snow, gusty winds, and chilly temperatures will bring the recently-lacking wintertime feel back with a vengeance.

TUESDAY:

Tuesday may be the only somewhat nondescript day weather-wise, as high pressure makes a brief appearance over New England. Clearing skies, calming winds, and moderating temperatures will be a brief respite before…

WEDNESDAY:

…If it’s Wednesday, it must mean another storm! Although it’s still nearly a week into the future, computer models are hinting at another significant round of snowfall through the day on Wednesday.

Let the ride begin!

Caption: Wednesday’s Potential Storm

Mike Carmon, Senior Meteorologist & Education Specialist

Ways to Measure Snow

2018-01-30 13:22:03.000 – Taylor Regan, Weather Observer

One question commonly asked of staff up here on the summit is: How do you accurately measure snowfall in such a windy environment? The answer isn’t as simple as just using a snowboard, the way that many weather reporting stations are able to. Up on the summit, and in other windswept locales, adverse conditions have led to several innovative approaches to measuring accurate precipitation, which typically involve combining a precipitation gauge with some variant of windshield. Let’s have a look at a few here.

Precipitation Gauges

Precipitation Can – A tried and true method, the standard precipitation can is what is currently in use up on the summit of Mt. Washington. The precipitation can does not have any active measuring components; instead, it is collected at prescribed intervals and measured by an observer. In the event of snowfall, the frozen precipitation is measured and then melted, to determine the liquid equivalent. This method serves as a standard for evaluating the performance of other gauges.

Heated Tipping Bucket – A heated tipping bucket is a type of precipitation measuring device that works by directing rainwater into one of two buckets that are mounted to a pivot. As one bucket fills up (typically with 0.10 inch of precipitation) the bucket “tips” and discards the accumulated precipitation, tripping a counter, and raising the second bucket to fill up. Throughout a precipitation event, the buckets continue tipping, and the counter marks out how many tenths have been collected.

Geonor Precipitation Gauge – A collection bucket filled with anti-freeze and a small amount of oil, which sits atop the anti-freeze to prevent significant evaporation from taking place before a reading is taken. The sensor is a wire that is electrically excited and vibrates at a certain frequency. Any changes in mass of the bucket (i.e. through the addition of precipitation) change the frequency of the vibrating wire. By recording the change in frequency, one is able to determine the amount of precipitation which has fallen.

Geonor Precipitation Gauge

Hotplate – A hotplate gauge is comprised of two heated plates, one facing upwards, and one facing downwards. Each plate is heated to the same temperature, but, the addition of snowfall cools the top plate. The energy required to keep the top plate (cooled by falling snow) at the same temperature of the bottom plate (not exposed to the falling snow) is measured, and from this ratio one can calculate the amount of snowfall which has fallen.

Hotplate Precipitation Gauge

Windshields

Double Fence Intercomparison Reference (DFIR) Gauge – The DFIR gauge is comprised of two fences, one 4 meters in diameter and the second 12 meters in diameter, which enclose either a Tretyakov or Geonor precipitation gauge.

Double Fence Intercomparison Gauge (Photo from NCAR, Roy Rasmussen)

Alter Windshield – This is the most common windshield used in the United States, and is made of a series of vertical flaps or slats and is roughly a half meter in diameter.

Alter shield (Image from: www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm02252325/

Nipher Shield – The Nipher shield is a solid device in the shape of an inverted cone which mounts around the precipitation gauge. This is the windshield currently in place on the summit.

Nipher shield in use on the summit of Mount Washington.

Taylor Regan, Weather Observer

Super Blue (Partial) Blood Moon (Maybe)

2018-01-28 17:24:02.000 – Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Back in August 2017 when I was writing a blog post about the solar eclipse I was looking at the list of other solar and lunar eclipses for North America over the next 10 years. While looking over the list, I saw “Jan 31, Lunar Eclipse (Total) and from the thumbnail saw that the US was in the shaded viewing area. At the time, I was so focused on the solar eclipse that I didn’t really look into the upcoming lunar eclipse more than just locking the month and year away for the opportunity when it approached.

Partial Solar Eclipse 2017

Back in September 2015, the summit lucked out with perfectly clear skies allowing for the viewing of a total lunar eclipse from start to finish (you might remember seeing the pic (below), video, or blog post about it all back in the day). So with that memory still fresh in mind I was pretty stoked about the possibility of seeing a repeat event if the weather cooperated. For the past month or two I was regularly telling my coworkers about the upcoming lunar eclipse and how neat it was the last time. My excitement built up even further as space related sites I follow started running articles about how January 2018 would conclude with a “Super Blue Blood Moon.” This was even more enticing as it meant a blue moon, a blood moon, and a supermoon would all be coming together at the same time. But then I started to read deeper and examine various maps, stats, etc and my excitement started to wane.

Total Lunar Eclipse 2015

That thumbnail I mentioned in the first paragraph, well clicking on it was the first blow to my excitement. For our location, the maps legend had the coloring listed as “Only partial+penumbral visible” meaning a total eclipse was out. I have viewed penumbral eclipses before and my reaction for those has always been, “I stayed up for this?” However, I have also seen partial eclipses before and if enough of a chunk is taken out of the moon, they can be kind of neat to view. So I decided to dig a bit deeper.

And so came the second blow to my excitement – looking at the simulators and various times of occurrences. Unfortunately all the sites I tried didn’t have “Mt Washington” as an option and the one that allowed for my lat/long didn’t define whether or not elevation gain was factored (albeit, that’s typically small to begin with, but every bit can help). So using our lat/long as well as those for Berlin and North Conway, the Penumbral Eclipse will start around 0551 EST January 31. The Partial Eclipse begins at roughly 0648 EST. According to our official tables for our station for January 31, 2018, Sunrise will occur at 0659 EST and moonset will occur at 0705 EST. So for partial eclipse viewing that leaves a window of 17 minutes. So if we have optimal viewing and can view the full 17 minutes, the moon will be obscured by (if I did the math correctly) 21% for our location. Again though, that is only if optimal viewing occurs. However, I am a meteorologist on Mt Washington so I know the bigger variable of concern is the weather.

As we have mentioned in previous Observer Comments, the summit of Mount Washington is in the clouds (ie, fog) over 60% of the year. Additionally, storms typically funnel towards the Northeast which means that even if we are fog-free, we would have a high likelihood of clouds overhead or on the horizon either limiting or obscuring viewing. Lastly there is haze that could be present resulting in the moon dropping behind the haze rather than the horizon.

Before looking at the weather ahead, let’s look at our past examining the recent 30 years of weather records for January 31st between the hours of 0500 and 0700 EST. Here are the findings:

2017 – Clear

2016 – Fog, Blowing Snow

2015 – Fog, Snow, Blowing Snow

2014 – Overcast

2013 – Fog, Rain

2012 – Fog, Snow, Blowing Snow

2011 – Fog, Blowing Snow

2010 – Fog

2009 – Fog, Snow

2008 – Fog, Blowing Snow

2007 – Fog, Blowing Snow

2006 – Fog, Snow

2005 – Clear

2004 – Fog, Blowing Snow

2003 – Clear

2002 – Overcast

2001 – Fog

2000 – Fog, Snow

1999 – Clear

1998 – Fog, Snow Shower

1997 – Fog, Snow

1996 – Fog

1995 – Mostly Cloudy

1994 – Mostly Clear

1993 – Fog, Snow, Blowing Snow

1992 – Fog

1991 – Fog, Snow, Blowing Snow

1990 – Clear

1989 – Fog

1988 – Fog

1987 – Fog, Snow, Blowing Snow

For the window of opportunity I need on January 31st, the past data is stacked against me leaning towards a foggy or overcast set up. Looking at preliminary model data for that timeframe, this is certainly looking correct. Monday/Tuesday a low will skirt to the south of the state. Models are hinting an inverted trough could set up which could extend fog/clouds/snow this way for Tuesday/Wednesday. But even if this doesn’t shape up, the passing low will be steered by a deep upper level trough which again means fog/clouds and possible snow. Taking all of this in consideration – a penumbral eclipse leading to a partial eclipse of 20% with a window of 17 minutes close to moonset on a statistically foggy/cloudy day that is projected to be foggy/cloudy/snowy – my excitement has faded to a “Meh” at best. With that being said though, if the opportunity to view/photograph if from the summit comes about, I will certainly be there to view/capture it and share something; but we will see.

Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

From the Carolina Coast to the Rockpile!

2018-01-27 16:34:43.000 – Sarah Schulte, Summit Intern

They say there’s a first time for everything, but what they don’t always say is that these first times like to travel in packs. Between my first 15-hour solo drive, first time in New Hampshire, first time staying at a youth hostel and first time living in an area with round-the-clock snow plowing, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve had my fair share of firsts this month. And I haven’t even mentioned the mountain yet!

A windy day on the Neuse River in Havelock, North Carolina

Studying weather at Mount Washington is about as different from my previous experiences as it can get. I’m not looking at sea breezes or rip tide reports up here. Now, it’s snow accumulation, rime ice and winds gusting at speeds that rival those of the hurricanes that spurred my interest in weather.

Growing up along the North Carolina coast brought me into contact with several hurricanes, which meant a lot of cancelled school days. Waking up and learning that you don’t have to go to school is already exciting, especially when you’re too young to really worry about downed power lines and flooding, but when the storm hits and the trees are blowing sideways and the rain is coming down in thick gray sheets, it becomes even more fascinating. Weather held my interest through middle and high school, even as I considered other career paths, and after my freshman year of college, I changed majors from aerospace engineering to meteorology.

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Earth and Atmospheric Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology in December 2015. During my job search, I came across the internship for Mount Washington. I’d never heard of the Observatory before, but after some research, I jumped on the application and applied twice for the chance to go. When I got the news that I was selected for the winter internship, I couldn’t stop smiling and hopping in place. This is truly a unique experience, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.

This is only my second full day on the mountain, and I’ve already added more firsts to my list (including psychrometer-slinging and TV shows I’ve never watched). I’ve met a crew of awesome people and one cool cat, and I’m hoping for even more firsts in the next few months. It’s great to be here and nice to meet you all!

Sarah Schulte, Summit Intern

Higher Summits Forecasts on Amazon Echo

2018-01-24 20:59:54.000 – Caleb Meute, Weather Observer / Meteorologist

Mount Washington Observatory IT Director, Keith Garrett has come to an agreement with Alexa, Amazon, and essentially the entire world. His latest accomplishment sends the Mount Washington Observatory Higher Summits Forecasts directly into your living room, dining room, bedroom, attic, or wherever it is the dog carried your Amazon device. In a recent interview with Keith he stated, “Caleb, sometimes the world needs to hear your voice, and now they can, simply by yelling at Alexa for a flash briefing”. This is one small step for the Observatory, and one giant leap for getting our forecasts heard.

You may wonder how exactly you can make this happen on your Amazon device, and that is what I am here for via this blog.

First: You must have an Amazon Device
Second: Alexa must recognize your voice
Third: Head to the skills section in your Alexa app and search for “Mount Washington”. Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Observatory-Higher-Summits-Forecast/dp/B079818Z5D/
Fourth: Hit “Enable skill” and now you should be in business
Fifth: Get HYPE and hear the lovely Observers voices twice daily as the forecast is updated

A quick note – These are on the longer side, so you may want to put the forecasts last in your briefing order OR simply delete the other News sources.

If you go ahead and add our forecasts to your flash briefings, you will discover tomorrow morning that it is no longer warm here atop the Rockpile. As I am writing this, the mercury is plummeting through below zero numbers and is currently sitting at a “not-so-balmy” -11°F. While you continue through the recording, you will discover that the chilly temperatures will endure through Thursday. Do not fret though, my friends frightened by cold weather, a warm up is on the way heading into the weekend. Find out more by enabling the skill on your Amazon device. Sit back and let Alexa navigate you to a world of higher summits weather enlightenment!

Caleb Meute, Weather Observer / Meteorologist

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