Historical Posts Archives - Page 7 of 378 - Mount Washington Observatory

March 2021

Fifteen Years of Observing Mount Washington’s Weather

2021-03-08 20:17:38.000 – Ryan Knapp, Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Just over fifteen years ago (December 28, 2005), I started working at the Mount Washington Observatory. I started as an intern but in February 2006, I was hired on as a “temporary-full time” observer. What this title meant was I was hired as an Observer but I had until what would have been the end of my internship (May 2006) for the Observatory and I to decide whether or not I should continue as a full time observer. Well, since I am writing this comment now, I guess you could say we both agreed that a full time position would be mutually beneficial.

When I reached my 5 year anniversary, I reflected on the changes that had occurred since I started. Then, when I reached my 10 year anniversary, I once again reflected on the changes that had occurred. Well, this being another 5 year block of time, I started to think of how many things have changed now in my 15 years working on the summit. Observatory staff, including myself, have touched upon many of these in past comments but just in case you missed them, here is what’s changed in my fifteen years here:

-The Bombardier snow tractor went from an unheated, bench-seated, yellow “bus” to the semi-heated, captain-seated, white “leopard” Bombardier that we use today.

-The blue and white 4×4 van that was in use when I started got a bump up to a newer-but-used black and white 4×4 van

-The 4×4 bench seat truck with a flat blade in the front was here before I started working however, our truck just got upgraded this past week (via donations earlier this year). So this coming spring we will be using a new 4×4 truck with an extended cab and a v-shaped blade in the front.

-When I started, a limited water storage capacity during the winter months meant the rule of “if it’s yellow let it mellow; if it’s brown flush in down” was etched in our minds. We were limited to one military shower per week but most of us opted not to take one at all. In short, water in was fine but water out was as limited as possible. There were times where buckets were looked at for an option even when the tanks were getting full near the end of the winter season. Today, New Hampshire State Parks (whom we lease our space from) has a year-round septic system installed. As a result, water restrictions are a complete mystery to all the new observers, volunteers, and interns I work beside since water out is typically no longer an issue.

-Due to the limited water out rule, toilets were pressurized to assist the high volume to get to the tanks. So our toilet was up on a platform with a bunch of pressurizing equipment. This system was eventually replaced when the septic went in but the elevated platform remained. However, a few years back, the bathroom was gutted and now the toilet sits flush to the ground. Also gone – the tub (which I only recall one person ever using) which is now a shower stall.

-Our bunks were crowded and poorly sound insulated rooms. They were uncomfortable and hard to sleep in. But now they have been overhauled and I can now get a solid 6 hours (or sometimes more) of sleep and not the 3-4 I used to get sleeping during the day in them.

-Looking around the Observatory space, there have been a ton of changes with not a single room looking like it did when I first started here; I could probably write an entire comment just on them. But at least the sugar container remains; fun fact – it is one of the oldest items on the summit still in continuous use spanning decades and multiple generations of Observers.

-The hum and smell of the power generators was like a giant kerosene-powered white noise machine. The “switch over” between the two generators was a regular occurrence. And lights were on everywhere to make them run more efficiently. Now with a buried power line, nights are only noisy when winds are high and the air smells crisp. And all unnecessary lights are turned off to cut down on power costs.

-Our logo went from a blue and magenta 80s/90s look to the red and white modernized one that plasters the very website you are on.

-Our website is completely different. In fact, this is the fifth iteration of how it looks since I got here. And the look and feel of the website that was in place when I started here can nowadays be outdone by most teenagers with a weeknight of coding. With each iteration things were sometimes added and other times removed to reflect the changing online demographics.

-Weather models have improved as computer processing speeds have improved. Some weather models have been discontinued while others didn’t even exist yet when I started. When I started, the Higher Summits Outlook only went out 36 hours and was only done in the morning. However, because of improvements in the various models along with internet speeds and connection reliability, our forecast now goes out to 48 hours and is updated twice a day.

-Time sheets were due Wednesday, then on Mondays, and now on Sundays.

-Work weeks could mean just that, back to back weeks. There was one time I was up here three weeks in a row. The only ones with the guaranteed week on, week off scheduling back then were the interns. Nowadays, we all are on a steady week on week off schedule with little to no exceptions (except if we take vacation time-off).

-Crews were two observers and (usually) one intern. And with the staggering schedules, no two weeks would have the same crew. This meant there was no set crews and we got to work with and know everyone. Now, there are three observers and one to two interns on each shift and we are on the same crew for long periods of time with very little interactions going on except on Wednesday and the occasional visits during off weeks.

-Volunteers were hard to come by. I remember several weeks during my first few years when we couldn’t find any volunteers for up here. Now there are waiting lists for particular dates and from what I’ve heard, when we don’t have a volunteer up here, people freak out.

-Computer screens and the television were thick, heavy, hot, and deep CRT’s with what the modern era would call “small”; 3:4 ratio screen sizes. Now we have narrow, cool-running, light, and relatively thin LCD’s which are 16:9 widescreen and most computers now have two to three monitors connected with one even allowing touch input.

-Smartphones and tablets weren’t around. Cell phones were and were either “clamshell” or “candy bar” shaped however service for any of them was non-existent across most of the northern NH. So when you came up, you were disconnected, which was kind of nice to be completely honest; kind of miss those days at times.

-Social media – didn’t exist!

-Incandescent bulbs and neon bulbs used to light our workspace but now LED or halogen bulbs have more or less replaced them.

-Where once VHS’s and Playstation 2 were the only things being watched on our TV, we eventually got a DVD collection. And now there is Video on Demand (Netflix, Hulu, etc). To think when I first started, major and/or live events like the Super Bowl or NASA missions had to be missed when up on the summit and now we can typically stream it in real-time.

-The server room was spacious then got filled up as technology came about, but then shrunk back down as technology improved, got smaller, and more efficient.

–Distance Learning didn’t exist. When I started, the only distance learning equipment we had was a lone Polycom which was used for a few connections with the Weather Discovery Center from time to time. And live connections with anyone else (schools, news, etc) couldn’t happen as the connection speeds were not able to handle them. As time progressed and internet speeds increased, we secured grants and donations to build an entire command center for the Educational Observers to allow for live video feeds with various schools and news stations around the world. But just like the server room, as technology and the ways we communicate evolved, so did our technology and now we have high resolution cameras and a touch screen along with apps like Zoom that allow us to better communicate and interact with distant people and all of it in a much smaller footprint.

-The cog was running all coal when I started and now it is powered by biodiesel (with the exception of one (or two) coal train(s) a day in the summer).

-Various structures and buildings have been torn down and removed; looking at historical pictures spanning decades, this is one of the lowest amounts of structures present on the summit.

-Summit and valley crews are completely different than when I started. If I counted correctly, on the summit alone I have worked with 2 kitty cats, 6 Summit Managers, 18 Bombardier (aka snow tractor) Operators, 24 museum attendants, 33 Observers, 123 interns/externs (excluding a handful of temp-interns that only came up for a week or two for school), and 300+ volunteers (some of which have been coming up here as long as I have been working).

-Specific job titles and specific qualifications didn’t exist. We were all just Weather Observers. Now we have a staff meteorologist/observer, distance learning specialist/observer and research specialist/observer on each shift.

-Partnerships with companies have come and go. While I hate seeing those partnerships end, I have enjoyed each of them as we pull some awesome companies and individuals on board.

-The popularity of Seek the Peak has expanded. I remember a time when we had left over goodie bags believe it or not. Now we have to put a cap on the number of participants.

-“Automated” equipment we have owned and were testing are no longer around due to our destructive winds and ice. Even the equipment we use regularly use has gone through replacement and repairs. And we are in the process of testing out a new version of our tried and true pitot system.

-Research projects like Airmap, COSMO, and others either no longer exist or have had their requirements changed as technology improved.

-The ARVP had started by the time arrived but now we have expanded it into our White Mountain Mesonet.

-Our Weather Discovery Center in North Conway closed and its exhibits loaned out to other museums in the state (like the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH)

I’m sure I could go on and on but I think I have touched upon the big changes I have seen. Hopefully you can see how much has changed in fifteen year’s time. Since I am all about photography and history (it was my minor), I like to look at historical pictures from the 1930s and 1940s and really see how much has changed on the summit. And who know how much more will change in the next year, five, or ten. However, while crew’s, living quarters, quality of life, job titles, technology, etc are continuously evolving and changing up here, one thing has remained and will remain constant up here even after me and this crew departs: the recording and reporting of the weather from the summit of Mt Washington, NH

Meteorologist Ryan Knapp as an intern in 2005 and as an observer today in 2021

Ryan Knapp – as an Intern (left) in 2005 vs as Senior Staff Meteorologist (right) in 2021

Ryan Knapp, Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Behind the Scientist

2021-02-22 12:07:42.000 – Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Through outreach programs and talking to family and friends I realize there is a stigma behind being a scientist, that we are solely dedicated to our work and are somehow different from the general public. However, this is not true! Part of my job as an Education Specialist is not only to teach about the science, but to break down this barrier and make becoming a scientist a more approachable idea. In this Observer Comment I would like to showcase myself and my fellow shift mates with a look “Behind the Scientist”.

Ryan Knapp (Staff Meteorologist)

Weather plays a role in my life on and off the summit. While on the summit, I am forecasting for others, but when I am off the summit, I am forecasting for myself so I can decide what I am able to do on any particular day as well as how to dress if going outdoors. While off summit during the winter, you will frequently find me outside hiking, snowshoeing, or skiing. If the day is going to be particularly rough though, I might opt to stay in and settle on reading a book, watching a movie on Netflix, or playing a game on Xbox. As conditions warm up for spring/summer, I will be drawn outside more often to do yard work but once that is finished, I might go hiking, fly fishing, play disc golf, or ride my bike If I am lucky enough to have clear skies where I live, I will dig out my telescope and look for various constellations, galaxies, or planets that might be visible in the night sky. Year round, I love to do nature photography. While I certainly take my fair share of weather photos, I also like to photograph the landscape, sunrises/sunsets, animals, plants, insects, stars, the Milky Way…pretty much anything revolving around nature/outdoors. This interest in photographing natural scenes and objects draws me to explore and travel to new places both locally and abroad to see and photograph new and interesting subjects and locations. And in more normal years, I might take a drive to more populated areas to view hockey games, baseball games, concerts, and live theater.

Figure 1: Ryan Knapp’s collage of hobbies, including hiking, photography and travelling to take unique photos!

Nicole Tallman (Meteorologist / Education Specialist)

While extreme weather and meteorology are a large part of who I am, I also have many hobbies and passions outside of my science career. Unlike some of my coworkers who are winter and snow lovers I am a big fan of warmer weather and many of my hobbies reflect that. Aside from being happiest when experiencing a severe thunderstorm, my next favorite place to be is on a boat. I love kayaking, fishing and just relaxing with a view while out on a lake or ocean. Another warm weather hobby of mine is target practice with not only my compound bow, but I have also practiced with throwing axes and knives. I love the repetitive nature and working on being as accurate and precise as possible! This mentality also translates to some of my other hobbies including drawing, knitting and crocheting, all of which require practice and attention to detail. My passion for science definitely influences many of my hobbies including some science themed drawings as well as my rock, mineral and fossil collection. My favorite part of this collection is my eurypterid fossil that I collected while in New York a few years ago! My love for science even had me pick up jewelry making to create solar system bracelets made of genuine mineral beads resembling the planets. Aside from some of these science related hobbies I am also a huge fan of sports and music and in a normal year you could find me in a venue cheering on the New York Giants or jamming out to some of my favorite bands. Behind every scientist is a variety of other interests!

Figure 2: Nicole Tallman’s collage of hobbies, including fossil collecting, archery and making solar system bracelets!

Sam Robinson (Weather Observer / Engineer)

Usually when I am off work, and off the mountain, I ironically tend to find myself in the woods or on another mountain. For some reason I just cannot seem to escape high elevation. I work and live at the highest summit in the northeast and yet when I return home for my off week I will commonly hike, snowshoe, ski, or snowmobile on hills and mountains in the area. I grew up with a strong love for the outdoors and it has only grown stronger as I have aged, so most of my hobbies are outdoor oriented. I do enjoy winter and snow so skiing has become my favorite hobby recently. Who could have known sliding down a slope on two planks strapped to your feet could be so fun? Along with my passion for the outdoors and the natural world, I love machines and I enjoy troubleshooting, repair, and modification of just about anything. Both of my pickup trucks have well over 350k miles each so they require lots of maintenance and upkeep but it is lots of fun for me and saves me money. Besides those hobbies, I also enjoy listening to music, drawing, and reading (when I can find the time). Being a scientist is not necessarily a full-time ordeal with life being solely dedicated to work in the field, but in my case, my life does tend to lean towards science and the natural world. I was raised by a science teacher father and a mother who was once a National Park Ranger in a rural, wooded area so science and nature were always integrated into my everyday life. I spent loads of time outdoors, with little in the way of video games, movies or TV. As such, I was definitely a product of my environment but it truly only takes an interest and passion in science to become a scientist. Science as a whole is very broad and you may just be surprised at how extensive the subject really is.

Figure 3: Sam Robinson’s collage of hobbies, including skiing, and working on his truck!

Jackie Bellefontaine (Summit Intern)

As a child, my idea of a scientist was someone always in a laboratory, conducting experiments from dusk to dawn fueled by curiosity and dedication to learning. While there’s truth to that idea, I’ve come to learn that there’s much more to the life of a scientist! Though I have spent most of this winter learning about and experiencing extreme weather as an intern at the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather”, I have many other hobbies! When I’m not on the Mount Washington summit, you can find me still in the White Mountains alpine and cross-country skiing as well as hiking — I am currently trying to accomplish hiking the 48 4000 footers. When not in the mountains, I spend a lot of time enjoying Lake Winnipesaukee, which has officially become my home this past summer. I have a great backyard for taking out my telescope and observing distant nebulas and galaxies on a clear night. The night sky has always fascinated me and in my humble opinion, some of the most amazing instruments science has produced are the Mars rovers and Hubble Telescope. Other than learning more about astronomy, I enjoy the thrill of reading stories of Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, especially those driven by pure scientific curiosity. These expeditions sparked my interest in polar regions and helped influence my decision to study Earth and Climate Sciences as an undergraduate. Another significant hobby of mine is travelling! Though the White Mountains and NH Lakes Region have a special place in my heart, I love the feeling of wonder when exploring new places. My favorite places that I have been so far are Iceland and Alaska. Other than my hobbies related to science and exploration, I get a lot of joy from cooking and watching movies. I’m eagerly awaiting the time when we are safely able to enjoy movie theaters again! Overall, through my experiences I have learned that there is much to the life of a scientist than I thought before but the one commonality I have found is curiosity. My advice would be to view yourself as a lifelong learner and continue to ask questions, especially about things you are passionate about!

Figure 4: Jackie Bellefontaine’s collage of hobbies, including skiing, hiking, and travelling to new places!

As you can see from our various backgrounds and interests there is not one mold that a scientist takes! We all have various hobbies ranging from photography, skiing, archery and so much more. If you or anyone you know is interested in pursuing a career in science, I encourage you to go for it! Find what you are passionate about and follow it. I hope you enjoyed looking behind the scenes or “behind the scientists” of my shift!

Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

On the Etymology of Cloud Names

2021-02-16 07:16:46.000 – Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

This past weekend we got to observe an abundance of high clouds in the sky, with a thin layer of cirrostratus lingering for much of the weekend. This cloud layer helped produce a halo around the sun during the daytime hours on both Saturday and Sunday. While this appears to the observer as a thin veil that lingers high in the atmosphere, cirrostratus can be cherished for the array of optical effects it may produce, some examples including sun dogs and the aforementioned halo.

Halo viewed over the summit this past Saturday

Saturday also brought a number of nice-looking cirrus clouds and I recalled the Latin translation of cirrus, meaning, “a lock of hair”. And cirrus clouds do look hairlike! Quite often we refer to many a cirrus cloud as “mares’ tails” in English because they actually look like a horse’s tail. The official name for this type of cloud would be cirrus uncinus; the species name uncinus meaning “hooked” in Latin.

It was at this point that I realized that the very scientific sounding Latin names for clouds are really just apt descriptions of what the clouds actually look like, and that the aura of presenting them in a mostly dead language gives them a certain mystique. In meteorology, we often make the distinction between cumuliform and stratiform clouds; cumuliform clouds being formed in an unstable atmosphere with some element of convection, whereas stratiform clouds form in a relatively stable atmosphere, and are generally flat. Resultingly, cumuliform clouds exhibit vertical growth whereas stratiform clouds will not, maintaining their level shape. When we look at the genera of these cloud names, we see the Latin names reflecting this basic form. In Latin, cumulus means an accumulation, heap, or pile. And the word stratus comes from the past participle of the verb sternere, which means to extend, flatten, spread out, or cover with a layer. With that in mind, I’d say the Latin names seem pretty appropriate given the appearance and processes that form these clouds.

A couple other key words will help us round out our cloud types. The word nimbus indicates a rain cloud and the prefix alto comes from the word altum, meaning height, or upper air. And with that, hopefully our cloud names sound a bit less mysterious, but perhaps no less romantic.

Our basic cloud types are as follows:

High Clouds: Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus

Mid-level Clouds: Altostratus, Altocumulus

Low Clouds: Cumulus, Stratocumulus, Stratus, Nimbostratus, Cumulonimbus

Of course, these are the basic cloud types, and looking at a cloud atlas will show the many different cloud species that can be observed, all described and categorized according to their Latin names.

The next question that crossed my mind was “Why Latin?”, and as I probed into this history, I recognized that the answer was not so straightforward, and to get there would require diving into some of the historical linguistics of Latin as well as the standing of the scientific community throughout different points in time. The real answer to this question perhaps lies in the emergence of a Eurocentric scientific community that hearkens back to the days of Rome and the Latin thread that binds the various romance languages of the region. In a Europe where many languages emerged out of the remains of the Roman Empire, the scientific community eventually adopted Latin as a means for communicating in a common language. The Swedish Botanist Carl Linnaeus is generally ascribed with advocating for the use of Latin as a tool for classifying organisms in the 18th century. He chose Latin in part because of its status as a dead language; because it wasn’t commonly spoken, Latin could help science in its goal unbiased objectivity.

The British chemist and amateur meteorologist Luke Howard is generally credited with developing the prevailing cloud classification in the early 1800s that was partly inspired from Linnaeus’ own efforts to describe and categorize. We still use Howard’s classification system today.

My perception of Latin in modern society certainly leads me to more questions about its use in science and in cloud names. Certainly, Latin sounds more mysterious and romantic, and a stratus cloud perhaps conjures up more flavor than a “layer cloud” or a “sheet cloud” right?

A notion exists in academia that each field protects itself with language. Are Latin cloud names another example of this? Secrets of meteorology locked up in vernacular?

These questions might seem a bit extreme given that the cloud types can be learned with relative ease by an astute observer, but in examining the etymology of these cloud names, it caused me to reflect on the value of having a common language in science.

In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye out for the many interesting cloud types as they come and go, making sure to mention their names with the slick Latin rolling off my tongue.

Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Winter’s Comeback

2021-02-09 14:13:00.000 – Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Just a few weeks back at the beginning of January, the ground was mostly bare at the base of the mountain and at our North Conway weather station, the monthly average temperature was 7 degrees warmer than normal. The warm start to winter was also felt at the summit, where temperatures had steadily run 5 to almost 20 degrees above normal for the first half of the month, and only 5 days below normal occurred during the latter half. Cold, winter air was nowhere to be found. It seemed to be the talk of New England, as we are normally used to bitter cold, and snowy storm systems. Ski country was hurting. Then scientists and meteorologists alike started murmuring about a phenomenon called the polar vortex. There seemed to be hope in the near future.

Fast forward to today, February 9th where we have just gotten through the first full week of the month. Snow has fallen on the summit every single day so far, and valley locations have seen a generous amount of snow as well. The change was apparent in southern New England too, with my hometown on the Southern New Hampshire border already receiving more snow in the first week of February than December and January combined. The forecast for the near future is also looking promising for more cold and snow with several chances in the next week. Sure enough, the change was brought by the polar vortex, a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding the poles of the Earth. In our case it was the polar vortex over the arctic, or north pole. Back in mid-January when the hype about the polar vortex started, climate scientists had noticed a stratospheric warming event over far northern Asia. In order for the strongest arctic air over the North Pole to affect us in the continental United States, a force must act upon it to send it wavering southward towards us. This stratospheric warming event that occurred was the needed force and at the beginning of February, the vortex became unstable and expanded southward, specifically over the Midwest United States.

Mount Jefferson and the Pliny and Pilot Ranges to the North, at First Light

Also following the edges of the polar vortex is the jet stream, which naturally follows the counter clockwise direction of the low pressure from the arctic (basically west-to-east). As the vortex wavered south across the Midwest, the jet stream followed suit and dipped down putting the northeast at its right (east) exit zone. As weather systems enter the Pacific Northwest they hit the jet stream and travel southeast along it before rounding the corner and heading northeast towards us. Adding to the favorable storm tracks is the abnormally warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. When systems hit the Mid-Atlantic coast, they can grab large amounts of moisture from out over the ocean before heading “Nor’east” towards New England. This fuels these systems with plenty of moisture and the combination of cold air from the west and moisture from the ocean sends snowy, winter storms our way. Another contributor to snowy weather for northern and western New England is the mostly ice free Great Lakes. Most people think of areas like Michigan or Upstate New York when it comes to lake effect snow but it actually affects parts of Western Massachusetts, and Northern Vermont and New Hampshire too, when conditions are right. This year in particular, the lakes are abnormally warm and relatively ice free. When winds come from the west and funnel cold air over the warm water, lake effect snow is produced which can sneakily stack up at higher elevations in the northeast.

A Colorful Sunrise with Observer Nicole Tallman (left) and myself (right) Taking in it’s Beauty

That was my best interpretation of this winter’s weather patterns so-far and the polar vortex. If you are interested in learning more about the polar vortex and the interactions between ice and the atmosphere check out the latest Home of the World’s Weather Live program on our YouTube channel at this link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxRqDx33oq8 . At the time of this writing, it is snowing up here on the summit and more is in the forecast for the next week. As a snow lover, I am grateful for the pattern change and hope it sticks around for a while. Remember to bundle up if enjoying all the new snow, and thanks for reading!

Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Nights on the Summit

2021-02-01 22:13:58.000 – David DeCou, Night Observer

Good evening from the summit of Mount Washington!

This is David DeCou, writing to you live as we approach the end of another exciting shift on the Rockpile. After a really mild start to January, this last week we experienced the coldest temperatures of the season so far, with a nor’easter on the way. I had almost forgotten what a wind chill of 50 degrees below zero feels like! However, with tonight’s storm I am glad to have the cold air around. During a snow storm earlier this month, my coworkers and I endured an unpleasant bout of freezing rain and glaze icing. I very much prefer to have the cold, dry spell of this week. In spite of the chilly start to this shift, the last two nights have been quite nice: light winds, clear skies, and moonlit peaks for many miles around. It has been a nice reminder of the perks of working night shifts up on the summit of Mount Washington – the starry night sky and the rising moon can be spectacular sights. On many nights, these can be difficult to appreciate with 60+ mph northwest winds whipping around the tower into your face, so the rarer times of calm weather are all the more appreciated. Below is the moon rising over undercast skies, taken at around midnight several weeks ago from the observation deck.

It has been 11 months since I began working as the Night Observer up here on the summit, so I’ve had a good amount of time to reflect on the pros and cons of nighttime weather observing. During one of my very first night shifts, I remember looking up at the night sky and seeing what looked like a narrow, thin layer of clouds high up in the atmosphere. I thought it to be a layer of wispy cirrus but noticed it wasn’t appearing in IR satellite imagery and that it was tracking steadily across the sky over the course of the night. I had the stunning realization that the skies were so clear that I was seeing the Milky Way with the naked eye for the very first time. Being able to experience the night sky from the summit of Mount Washington is absolutely a ‘pro’ in my book, at least on the occasions the summit isn’t shrouded in fog. In addition to that, during the course of my 12-hour night shifts, there is never a moment of boredom, and always something to do. Most of my time spent between hourly observations is spent quality-checking the day’s data or working ahead on the forecast or weekly/monthly checks. Sometimes I’m able to get some exercise in, or I whittle away a few minutes here or there doing the dishes when I can. There is a nice flow to the night shift that makes the 12 hours go by quickly. Time especially flies by during storms or icing events, sometimes too quickly.

There are drawbacks to nights of course, as is the case for any sort of night shift position. I have found that I need to make an extra effort in order to get two things: sleep and sunlight. For sunlight, this is especially difficult in the middle of winter. In December and early January, if I want to view the sunrise I have to make an effort to stay up after shift, or I have to wake up early to be up in time for sunset. It is possible for me to go for days without seeing the sun, and it is a struggle, especially when sleep can be limited. It takes some time to get used to the cycle of sleeping during the day and getting up when it’s dark, especially with the 8-day-on, 6-day-off nature of the job. Over time I’ve adjusted more to nights than days, as I spend more time up here than not. Rather than attempting to adjust back and forth week after week, I’ve found it is easier to try to keep one mostly-consistent sleep schedule, and so far it seems to work. However, keeping my night schedule during my off-weeks is also very limiting in ways, and does not allow me to get much sun. I use a sun lamp for this purpose, but personally, I cannot wait for the summer again. Night shift during the winter definitely makes me appreciate sunlight quite a lot more. Sunsets and sunrises feel far more precious, but the summer is a different story. During part of the summer, my shift will begin with the sunset and end with the sunrise, and I have no shortage of gorgeous views.

Tonight, we are expecting a substantial amount of snow with the approaching nor’easter, and it is always exciting to see how our forecasts verify with a system like this. The winds have been picking up throughout the night so far, and snow showers should begin shortly. We may even experience some 100+ mph gusts into Tuesday morning, so I may be in for an interesting night. As much as I enjoy being up here, I am keeping my fingers crossed that my coworkers and I are not snowed in for shift change on Wednesday. The valley will likely be in for even more snow than up here, so it may be a different world by the time we go back down.

David DeCou, Night Observer

An Intern in the Wind

2021-01-25 14:16:48.000 – Jackie Bellefontaine, Summit Intern

Growing up, I had a Guinness World Record book that featured Mount Washington’s record for fastest wind recorded by man — an astonishing 231 mph gust which occurred on April 12th, 1934. I could not wrap my head around what such an extreme wind could possibly feel like, I had never felt a gust stronger than 50 mph. Well now as a summit intern at Mount Washington, I was finally able to get a taste of the powerful winds I had heard so much about!

This past Thursday, January 21st, the extended forecast had suggested that we would be seeing extreme wind speeds beginning Saturday night. As the week progressed towards the weekend, the forecast showed that we were in for potentially even stronger winds gusting over 100 mph starting mid night Saturday and continuing into Sunday! Excitement and anticipation filled the air around the summit station. Observer Nicole was particularly excited as the forecast suggested that her personal record for highest wind speed experienced — 133 mph — may be broken! As Saturday came, the wind speeds began to ramp up to an impressive, yet not too spectacular by Mount Washington’s standards, sustained 90 mph by 8pm. Sam, Nicole and I sat in the Weather Room, the wind howled outside as they recalled their highest wind speed experiences. They told stories about how the building rumbled from the wind, then how the peak gust hit the building much harder, prompting them to excitedly run over to the Hay’s Chart to see how fast it was. I grew eager to have my own high wind experience story!

The forecast showed that the winds would potentially peak around 3 AM and Sam was covering the night shift, thus Nicole and I asked him to wake us up if the winds began to trend to gusts over 120 mph. I went to bed, though I didn’t really sleep due to the anticipation. I listened to the wind get louder outside of my bunk room window and tried to estimate how fast a particularly loud gust was. I eventually fell asleep for a bit until I heard knocking on my door. At first, I thought it was Sam waking me up to witness high gusts but it was actually the door to the living quarters being shaken rather violently by the building rumbling in the wind. I went upstairs to the Weather Room to see what the wind speed was being reported as, Sam informed me that it was “only” gusting to 110 mph. I decided to go back down to my bunk room after that false alarm and get more sleep before the real action was supposed to start later in the night.

Around 2:30 AM, I woke up to Sam actually knocking on my door saying that we were gusting over 120 mph! Nicole and I joined Sam in the Weather Room listening to the wind and watching the needle on the Hay’s Chart bounce around. A bit later, Nicole and I were in the middle of a conversation as a strong gust of wind slammed into the northside of the building, shaking the windows as well as launching huge chunks of rime ice into them. We all paused and looked at each other. Was that it? The peak gust? Sam rushed out of his chair and over to the Hay’s Chart, he told us that the needle went off the chart — the Hay’s Chart measures wind speeds up to around 140 mph! Sam then confirmed, using the data reported from the pitot up on the tower, that the intense gust we just witnessed was 151 mph, breaking all of our personal records for highest winds experienced!

Hay’s Chart recording strong gusts since 12 AM on Sunday, Jan. 24th

Later around 3 AM, Nicole and I decided to go up to the tower parapet to further experience the wind. Nicole was first to go up the ladder to the top of the tower and open the door to the parapet — the sound of the wind roaring as she opened the door is something that I won’t soon forget. We stood in a semi-sheltered area on the parapet as the wind rushed around us at a sustained speed of 110 mph, gusting a bit over 120 mph. Feeling the force of the wind was absolutely incredible! After coming down from the tower, I decided that I had my fill for the night assuming that 151 mph was going to be our peak gust, thus, I went back to bed. However, 151 mph was not our peak as a gust of 157 mph came roaring into the building around 6 AM! Only Nicole was awake to experience this gust, but I was very excited for her as her record of 133 mph was completely shattered!

Observer Nicole de-icing the instrumentation on top of the tower in sustained 89 mph winds with gusts around 112 mph

Throughout Sunday, the wind still raged on at an average speed of 84 mph with gusts still over 100 mph before steadily decreasing. I was able to go outside and experience the high gusts while assisting Nicole with the daily observations. Some of the gusts were so strong that I found myself pinned up against the A-frame outside of the lower tower door! At one point, I had waited for a lull in the wind before making my way over to the small shack, which sits several feet from the A-frame, called the “Cosmo Shack”. I had hoped to sit on the support beam along the Cosmo Shack to use the sling psychrometer for the hourly observation in the shade of the shack after the sun broke through the fog (the radiation from the sun can affect the thermometers on the sling). Well, bad idea and exactly the reason we work as a team on wild days like this. I found myself clinging onto the beam and sling trying so hard not to be blown off my feet as the winds gusted over 100 mph. Working with Nicole, I passed her the sling so I could regain my footing and return to the safety of the summit building. The adrenaline was high and the feeling of the strong winds on me like that was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating! I look forward to experiencing more extreme winds during the rest of my internship at the Mount Washington Observatory.

Me clinging onto the A-frame while the wind gusted to 108 mph

I hope you enjoyed my story of my first extreme wind experience!

Jackie Bellefontaine, Summit Intern

Preparing for Winter Conditions

2021-01-20 09:11:35.000 – Jay Broccolo, Weather Observer and Meteorologist

Preparing for any kind of outdoor activity involves forethought and research, and that is especially true in the winter. In this piece, we are going to discuss why it is imperative to be prepared, how to prepare for time spent outdoors in the winter elements, and a little bit on what we do to prepare. The Mount Washington Observatory (MWObs) is supported by not only our wonderful members, but also by our partners over at Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), and Oboz Footwear. They supply us with most of the gear we need to stay warm and dry in some of the world’s worst weather. Closer to the end of the article, we will go through some of the gear we like to use upon the summit of Mount Washington and how it helps us stay warm.

Whether we notice it or not, we go through a thought process of what we might encounter outdoors. This process changes depending on the activity, but regardless, it happens whether you are running out to get the mail in the rain, work outside in the elements, skiing/snowboarding, going for a day hike, camping out, or a multi-day through-hike. Some of us may run out to get the mail in the rain or pump gas in the cold without protective gear but do not really care because the safety of warmth and dryness is only a minute away. Then there are those who of us who put our rain jacket, and gloves on. When spending time outdoors in the elements for a long period WITHOUT the comfort of somewhere to warm up and dry off, or store your food and water somewhere, then it is up to you to be capable of doing so. We need to think about the items we will need in order to have access to the necessities, such as water, food, and shelter (protective equipment/clothing), any tools or gear required to overcome any struggle or discomfort. Most of the challenging situations in the outdoors come from the weather, but what costs people their lives in the outdoors is, unfortunately, a lack of planning, preparedness, and possibly, poor risk management. Pending some catastrophic injury that results in a rather quick death, a majority of life loss that has occurred could have been prevented. Therefore, that brings me to the first thing we should do when preparing, assuming we know where we are going, is to check the weather.

In the summer, we do not have to think about it too much because the temperatures is warm and the weather is generally favorable. We still ask ourselves several questions such as; is it going to rain or not? Are thunderstorms a possibility? How hot or cool it will be? How windy will it be? These questions then inform how we should prepare. In the winter, these questions become more specific and numerous because the conditions in the winter are vastly different and arguably, much harsher. Where can we check the weather? There are many resources to check the weather. The local National Weather Service along with the local weather station are some of the best resources to use. When using the National Weather Service, be sure to read their forecast discussion. While forecasts may not verify for a number of reasons, the forecast discussion will explain what should happen and what could happen in detail. Therefore, even if the forecast does not turn out, we will still be aware of other possibilities, which is very important when it comes to the gear we would pack. If you are in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, we should also check out the Mount Washington Observatory’s forecast and discussion.

MWObs puts out two forecasts a day, one in the morning before the start of the day and another at the end of the day. Each forecast is for the following 48-hour period, where we specifically focus on the weathers effects on the White Mountains. The intent of the forecasts is to provide recreationists in the White Mountains with the necessary weather information and guidance to prepare for time spent outdoors. Many forecasts available to the public span a large area and often times, local conditions create microclimates that may cause the weather to be different from the other side of town or on one side of the mountain vs. the other. One solution to this is having a weather app on your phone that pinpoints your location and tells you what the weather is and will be. An algorithm that incorporates proprietary information and model outputs to produce a local forecast commonly produces these types of forecasts. These have potential and should also be consulted, but currently lack the resolution and dynamics to verify better than the humans ability to apply conceptual thinking to model outputs, especially in boundary zones such as mountainous and coastal regions.

MWO’s forecasts are only for the White Mountains. If you are elsewhere wanting to enjoy the outdoors, there may be an organization that produces similar forecast products, so be sure to look around on the internet. Once we know what the weather should be like, what weather could occur, and have decided on going, we then communicate. We understand hiking and adventuring alone can be exciting, freeing, and good for our confidence. I enjoy it myself but realize that it puts us at an increased level of danger. If anything negative were to happen, having another person or more with you will increasingly increase your comfort and chances of survival. If you do decide to go it alone, tell your family and friends what you are doing and where you are going, tell at least one person. Tell them where you are leaving from and at what time. Tell them where you will be going, where you will end and at what time. This way, if anything happens and you do not show up when you meant to, it does not go unnoticed. If people are with you and something happens, then communication is much faster. Thanks to technology, we now have devices that can track us via GPS and sends a signal at predetermined time intervals to the people you designate. There are also other types of GPS trackers out there as well. Any of these are great to have your person in case of emergency, especially when you are somewhere without cell service.

Now that we know where we are going, we have looked at the weather and decided it is safe to go, and we have told people of our plans. The next thing to do is start packing. In the winter, numerous weather events can put a damper on your outdoor adventure. Someone very wise told me once at young age “if you bring a rain jacket, it will never rain on you.” I did not quite understand what this person meant for probably several years, but once I smartened up, I realized that yes, just because you bring a jacket does not mean it is not raining, but it does mean that the rain should not affect you because you brought a rain jacket to keep the rain off you. This same person told me “if you are standing next to the fire to stay warm, then you are not dressed properly.” Over the years, we learn a lot from our mistakes, and I have made a lot of them when it comes to winter activities, so let’s go through some of the things we do here at the Observatory and during other winter activities to stay warm, dry and safe with our EMS and Oboz Footwear gear.

The main thing we want to focus on when preparing is to make sure we can stay dry and warm. To stay dry, we need to keep the moisture from outside from getting to our bodies or inner clothing. We also need to stay dry on the inside. One of the best ways to accomplish this, which also helps to keep you warm, is layering your clothing. Much like the windows in your home, the air space between the panes of glass is what keeps the cold temperatures out and the warm temperatures inside. Therefore, each layer of clothing brings an added air space between your clothing. The air space and clothing boundary act to insulate our bodies. Using this method of staying warm, rather than using one single jacket or pants allows us options and control over our body’s temperature and dryness. Depending on how cold it is additional layers may be needed, but be sure to at least have an inner, mid-, and outer layer or shell.

Our inner layer should be something that takes sweat away from our skin. Cotton does a poor job at wicking away moisture and just holds it. Synthetic fibers and wool fibers are our best options. A synthetic moisture wicking long sleeve or T-shirt will work just fine, but these works by absorbing the sweat, your body heat is then used to evaporate the liquid. Wool, which is my go to, is actually a porous fiber where synthetic fibers are not. This feature allows the wool to absorb your sweat as a water vapor so you do not feel clammy or wet. It also tends to resist odors by trapping the bacteria, which is great for those longer excursions. Our next layer should be something fleece or down. This layer is the insulation layer that holds all the warmth in. It creates air space that holds in your body heat. Avoid wearing something tight, as this would reduce the air space between you and the elements, effectively reducing the ability to hold heat. Fleece and down works well because there is plenty of space for air to be trapped within the fibers and jacket. If you have ever folded up and squeezed all the air out of one of those puffy down jackets, you know what I mean. Our outer layer needs to be something that will keep water and moisture on the outside, but releases moisture out, something water proof, but breathable. Oboz Footwear’s B-Dry system does just that. The gear we are supplied with from EMS also has technologies that do this such as System Three, and Gor-Tex, amongst others, whether it’s a pair of gloves, an outer shell, or pants.

Layering gives us the ability to control our body’s temperature with the goal of trying to not sweat, but also stay warm. If we get to hot, we can take a layer off, if too cold, put another layer on. It might involve some stopping or work, but the alternative is rather unpleasant. Once we get wet, it becomes easier to get cold, and once we are cold, it can be hard to warm up. This is why it is important to have extra layers with you. Once you feel that clammy feeling on your feet, or back, or anywhere for that matter, we need to change that piece of clothing out for something dry. My favorite thing to do on a hike is to change my socks at least once. If you do not think our feet sweat that much or that your socks are dry after hiking for a few hours. I challenge you to change them anyway and leave them outside if it is below freezing, they will freeze solid. A pair of gaiters will help keep moisture out, but they may keep moisture in. It all depends on the type of weather and conditions we are experiencing. Here at MWObs, we are constantly changing environments and tasks, some physical, some still, some outdoors, and some indoors. Therefore, in order for us to regulate our body temperature we often take layers off and on. When the wind is flowing fast and it is cold, we also wear face coverings and goggles, especially when it’s precipitating out. We essentially cover every square inch of our bodies. We try to create our own movable shelter, much like a hermit crab.

To wrap this up, we went through several reasons why it is important to be prepared in the winter and how to do so. We discussed the layering technique of dressing in order to stay warm. How to keep the moisture out and how to keep it off our skin. Remember to change your socks and wear a hat! You can easily take your hat or other coverings off if you feel like you are getting warm enough to start sweating. Our ears, nose, cheeks, and feet have special blood vessels that help control cooling and warming so a hat and face covering along with a nice pair of dry, warm wool socks can make a big difference. This is only one part of winter preparedness, the thought process we spoke about before also includes food and water, skill set training, fitness, and more. Lastly, if you at any point feel unsafe or even unsure, it is ALWAYS okay to turn around and get back to safety, but also remember, if you are with a group, stay together. You are stronger together. This is how we treat inclement weather when having to go outside for any amount of time. There is always someone with, or paying attention and observing in case something were to happen. To minimize risk, we dress to impress, because remember, proper planning prevents poor performance. Below is a picture of some of the gear we wear.

Thank you for reading and we hope everyone has a great and safe time outdoors this winter now that the snow has finally come around!

Jay Broccolo, Weather Observer and Meteorologist

2020 By The Numbers

2021-01-11 16:44:21.000 – Ryan Knapp, Observer/Staff Meteorologist

As we flipped the calendar to read 2021, it was time to look back and summarize the year that was (2020 in this case). If I were to use adjectives to summarize 2020 they would be – warm, dry, snowy, foggy, and windy. To figure out why those words were chosen, let’s look back at some of the stats that made up 2020:

Our average temperature for 2020 was 29.6°F (-1.3°C) which is 2.3°F above the 1981-2010 30-year normal for our station. This would make the annual average temperatures of 2020 the fourth highest in our dataset, which started in 1932. Our warmest temperature recorded in 2020 was 68°F (20°C) which occurred on June 18th and on July 9th. Our coldest temperature recorded in 2020 was 18°F below (-18°F/-27.8°C) which occurred on January 17th.

In terms of precipitation from January to December of 2020, the summit of Mt Washington received 81.21 inches which was 15.66 inches below the 1981-2010 30-year normal for our location. From January to December of 2020, the summit of Mt Washington received 281.6 inches of snow which was 0.4 inches above the 1981-2010 30-year normal for our location.

In terms of winds, for 2020 our average was 37.0 mph which was 2.0 mph above 1981-2010 30-year normal for our location. Our highest gust recorded for 2020 was 147 mph which occurred on August 4th. This August gust set a new August peak gust record surpassing the previous August record of 142 mph set on August 31, 1954. From January to December, we had 171 days which had gusts of 73 mph or greater and of those days, 49 days had gusts that were 100 mph or greater.

As for our weather during 2020, we averaged 34% of the possible sunshine. The summit had 16 days that were noted as clear or mostly clear, there were 72 partly sunny days, with the remaining 278 days were filed under mostly cloudy, cloudy, or obscured (fog) (2020 had 366 days as it was a leap year). We had 320 days with at least some fog recorded during a 24-hour period. We had 136 days with rain and 141 days with snow.

If interested in additional weather data, please check out our F-6 page (updated nightly), our Normals, Means, and Extremes page, our Current Conditions Page, our 48-Hour Higher Summits Forecast, and our Annual Temperature Graph. If you need data for research purposes, you can submit a request HERE. If interested in supporting our the work we do at our weather station, please consider donating or becoming a member.

Looking at Smarts Mountain at sunset January 20, 2021

Ryan Knapp, Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Joining the “Watchers on the Wall”

2021-01-10 15:31:48.000 – Jackie Bellefontaine, Intern

Hi everyone, my name is Jackie Bellefontaine and I am the new Mount Washington Observatory winter intern! I grew up outside of Boston in Malden, Massachusetts but recently moved to Meredith, New Hampshire. I have always loved the New Hampshire Lakes Region and the White Mountains! I graduated from the University of Maine in 2020 with a B.S. in Earth and Climate Sciences. During my undergraduate career, I became very interested in and excited by the Earth’s climate system and extreme environments. So, interning at the Mount Washington Observatory is like a dream! I am very happy to be here and excited to share my intern experience with you all.

Tower at Sunset

My first day started with a snow-cat ride up the Auto Road to the summit. I had never seen a snow-cat before and was impressed by the sheer size of the vehicle as it rounded the corner to pick up our shift. Our ride up to the summit was gorgeous, we had clear views of the summits of Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams and Mt. Madison. Additionally, there was an awesome undercast to the west of the Mt. Washington summit. It looked like a sea of clouds and made for a beautiful sunset! I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Sherman Adams building, familiarizing myself with daily summit operations and getting to know the awesome summit team.

View of Northern Presidentials from the Snowcat

On Thursday, I began to shadow observers Nicole and Sam. I accompanied them on their daily observations out on the summit deck and got to experience the strongest winds I had ever felt–70 mph winds and an 86 mph gust! It made the hourly observations a fun challenge when trying to cross the deck back into the building. Also, the summit was in the clear and we had 130-mile visibility! I was amazed by just how far we could see from the summit–from the ocean off the coast of Portland, ME to Whiteface Mountain, NY!

My First Summit Sunset-Pretty Spectacular!

I very much enjoyed my first week at the summit and am looking forward to experiencing and learning more about the Home of the World’s Worst Weather! Also, a special thank you to observers Nicole, Sam, and night observer Ryan for welcoming me to the observatory and helping me adjust quickly to life on the summit!

Jackie Bellefontaine, Intern

Terms Used In Forecasting: Advection

2021-01-04 12:17:34.000 – Jay Broccolo, Weather Observer and Meteorologist

Hi MWObsians!

It has been a while since I have written anything in this space so here is something I have been meaning to share. I plan to discuss several topics in our forecasts, specifically, the terms we use and why we use them. We generally try to use basic language in our forecast discussions, but I realize that is not always the case. Understanding these many terms and processes can be useful as they are used in forecasts by us here at the Observatory, the National Weather Service (NWS), and by other third party organizations such as your local news station, or a phone app.

These posts will provide a quick explanation of some of the terms used in forecasts so that you can better understand and prepare for whatever reason you require the information. Today’s topic will be ADVECTION. I am going to define it scientifically and then break it down in a much more conceptual and ‘real’ way. It should be noted that advection is one of many other processes that causes the temperature to change in a region.

Advection is defined by the American Meteorological Society as the “The process of transport of an atmospheric property solely by the mass motion (velocity field) of the atmosphere; also, the rate of change of the value of the advected property at a given point.” That was copied from their online glossary and there is a fancy calculation along with it, but let’s think about it conceptually so we can apply the concept. First off, an example of an atmospheric property that we will discuss and is arguably the most used in forecasting is temperature. Secondly, the “solely by the mass motion (velocity field)” means that the temperature is being moved by the flow of the mass of the substance (the air) and not by heating from the sun or convection. Advection differs from convection in the sense that advection is a movement of temperature from the speed and direction of the air, its velocity, whereas convection is the movement of air usually due to a density gradient or difference. Therefore, to simplify, for forecasting reasons, advection is the movement of temperature by the wind.

There are two types of advection, Cold and Warm Air Advection (CAA and WAA respectively). The way advection is measured is explained in the second part of the AMS definition; “also, the rate of change of the value of the advected property at a given point.” To apply this to temperature advection is to say the change in temperature at a certain point over a certain amount of time. To apply it even more directly to our forecasts, I would say something like this. “Cold air advection will bring falling temperatures into the evening as northwesterly flow sets up behind the cold front.” OR I would say, “Warm air advection behind the warm front will bring rising temperatures and an increase in moisture to the region.” What forecasters mean when they write or say the first statement is that the temperature will drop because colder air from the north is moving south from the north WITH the wind where it is colder. The temperature is not dropping because it is nighttime and there are no clouds around. This is more evident during the day when it is sunny but temperatures are dropping. The second statement means that warmer temperatures are moving north from the south WITH the wind so temperatures will rise because of the flow of the wind and not because of daytime heating or latent heat release.

Lastly, to pull this all together, look at the chart below. The shaded blue is CAA and the shaded red is WAA and is expressed as the change in temperature in Kelvin/hr. A higher number of WAA or CAA could mean a number of things. It could mean that there is a higher flow of air or that there is high pressure or temperature gradients as well. Forecasters use advection to infer and/or to lead to other factors that influence the state of the atmosphere. It is also an encompassing term to explain a process, which is why it used so often.

Temperature advection (K/hr, shaded) at 850hPa with contours and wind barbs from the NAM3K model. Note the darker red and blue shading. These areas are higher temperature changes from wind flow per hour. Chart from www.tropicaltidbits.com.

I hope this post was helpful. Look for more of these in the future.