Historical Posts Archives - Page 8 of 378 - Mount Washington Observatory

December 2020

As The Seasons Change, So Does The Job

2020-12-28 09:45:10.000 – Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Many have asked me what it is like to live in the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather” in the dead of winter to which I respond it is like living in another world! There are many experiences that winter on Mount Washington allows you to experience that you would never get the chance to do elsewhere. The job of Weather Observer in the winter months vs summer months are quite different in many ways.

The instrument tower covered in glaze ice.

First being transportation to the summit. In the summer the Mount Washington Auto Road is open for vehicles to drive from base to summit. It is quite easy for the summit crew to drive up and down in a van for every shift change. Once the shoulder seasons begin the transportation begins to become a bit trickier. We switch over to using chains on the tires once ice and snow begin to cover the road and once the road is covered to a certain level, we begin snowcat season. The snowcat requires a bit more time and preparation to travel up the Auto Road for shift change. As a crew member I sit in the back with my other shift members and we prepare for the slow and steady trip up the mountain. On average this can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes on a good day! This compares to a typical 20 to 30 minute drive up the Auto Road in the summer. I personally love the slow trips up the mountain especially when it is clear! This allows for sightseeing and some awesome photo opportunities. However not all snowcat rides are pleasant. Since the summit is in the fog every 2/3 days and there is also the high likelihood of blowing snow to cause large drifts on the road, sometimes these drives are completely socked in and require a lot of plowing to make it up or down the mountain. These difficult trips can take upwards of 4 hours on a one way commute.

The snowcat parked on the Mount Washington Auto Road at sunset.

The shift to the winter season also means a shift in precipitation to the various forms of winter precipitation. We as weather observers go from primarily collecting rain to collecting and observing a wide variety of frozen and freezing precipitation. Snow, snow grains, snow pellets, ice pellets, freezing rain and freezing drizzle are some of the main precipitation types we see on the summit. This requires us to be very observant of what type is falling by using a snow board to collect the precipitation for evaluation. Precipitation types can change from one to another or sometimes multiple types will be falling together. It is important for us to determine what type of precipitation is falling because it tells us a lot about the conditions of the atmosphere not only at our elevation but above our heads as well. If you would like to learn more about how these precipitation types occur and the hazards, they can produce you can check out a program that I led on Winter Precipitation as part of the Home of the World’s Worst Weather Live series. Visit Mountwashington.org/classroom to view past programs and register for future programs.

Snowflakes caught on the snowboard.

Freezing precipitation, or fog during below freezing temperatures can both cause the accumulation of ice. With the accumulation of both ice and winter precipitation comes the need for shoveling and deicing the instruments. It is a familiar task come wintertime to gear up from head to toe and head out once an hour to ensure that the instruments are ice free. We do this by climbing up a series of ladders to the top of our instrument tower where several anemometers (wind) and thermometers (temperature) are exposed to the elements collecting data. While they are collecting data however, they are also accumulating feathers of rime ice or a shield of glaze ice. It is critical for us as weather observers to maintain these instruments to make sure they are able to capture the most accurate data. The clanging of a metal crow bar becomes a familiar sound once the seasons shift due to the deicing of the tower. This task involves observers exposing themselves to extreme conditions while using a crowbar to dislodge ice that has built upon the instruments and tower. While we are deicing we have to be careful to keep ourselves out of harms way by positioning ourselves out of line of flying ice or extremely high winds. This task can be very difficult depending on the type and speed of accumulation. Glaze ice is very challenging to remove from instruments and requires much more force than rime, however rime can grow at impressive rates! Both types of ice typically require us to deice once an hour but this task can be necessary as often as every 15 minutes when the icing gets bad. Sometimes I stop and think back to the summer months and I wonder how it feels to go a week without deicing!

Weather Observer, Nicole Tallman, deicing the tower in a rime ice event.

There are also other small changes that come with the shift of the season such as shorter daylight hours. This means that the beginning and end of my shift as a day observer are actually in darkness. I have been able to dip my toes in the water of taking night observations because of this. It is definitely more challenging to observe the weather in the darkness of night than in the daylight like I am used to! It takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and allow you to make out if there are clouds in the sky or not. Once my eyes are adjusted it still is very challenging to be able to determine heights and types of clouds. I will usually write down what I see outside and once back inside I use satellite images and other visual aids that help me determine what heights the clouds I was seeing were at. Determining visibility is also quite challenging in the dark. In the day, there are plenty of mountain ranges at known distances to determine visibility. However, in the dark we use city lights to help determine visibility since the surrounding mountains can be challenging to see. It is also more difficult to be able to observe certain phenomena like blowing and drifting snow, precipitation in the vicinity or virga. All of these things are easily identified in the day but become more challenging in the dark! Even though these observations are more challenging, I do appreciate the opportunity to experience what it is like to be the night observer.

A view of sunrise while shoveling the instrument tower.

Living and working on the summit is constantly changing and always keeps you on your toes. Every day the weather changes and poses new challenges and every season is a brand-new experience. I have only been able to experience December on Mount Washington and am looking forward to what the rest of winter on the rockpile has to offer.

Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Mt Washington Christmas in 1870

2020-12-24 05:11:39.000 – Peter Crane, Curator, Gladys Brooks Memorial Library

The following pair of extracts reflect what Christmas was like on Mt Washington way back in 1870. The entries are from the journal of the Huntington-Hitchcock Expedition, and are as they appeared in “Mount Washington in Winter,” published after the winter of 1870-1871. The chapter containing these extracts was prepared by Solomon Nelson, one of the members of the expedition, who hailed from Georgetown, Massachusetts.

December 24. Yesterday afternoon and late at night, a “snow-bank” lay along the south; this forenoon snow was falling with a temperature of -13 degrees. At times during the day the wind was as high as seventy miles an hour, consequently we were confined to the house. Mr. S. (Sgt. Theodore Smith, weather observer and telegrapher of the U.S. Army Signal Service, specially assigned to the Expedition) has much to do, many messages being sent to and from the “lower regions.” He sends his first regular report to Washington to-night. So it seems that the government consider this station of importance, if the public do not. In working this line, Mr. S. has had many obstacles to overcome; but he seems to be determined to have it work all right ere long. Canned beef, tomato sauce, coffee, and pilot bread constituted our dinner. Find no vegetables but onions – bad for us. It is cold to-night (now, nine P.M., -15 degrees), and only 42 degrees in the room, although we have two fires. Mr. K. (Howard Kimball, photographer, of Concord, New Hampshire) received a telegram from home to-night. We sent a press dispatch of “A merry Christmas to all the world below.” Christmas! And what a contrast to some former ones! – in situation at least. But I would not exchange places with the most favored of fortune this night, nor do I esteem any preceding Christmas Eve above this one. A jolly party we are, but for the telegraph shut out from all intercourse with mankind. The wire attached to the sounder on the little table across the room is the connecting link between the “outside barbarians” and ourselves. They are doomed to read (curiosity if not interest will lead them ) the reports from Mount Washington. We have a saying that whatever is done is all for the “Benefit of Commerce.”

(Note: The Signal Service office responsible for weather observation was titled the “Bureau of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce,” and “For the Benefit of Commerce” became a catch-phrase for the members of the Expedition. Perhaps it was a bit ironic that the federal responsibility for weather observations, after being assigned first to the War Department, and later to the Department of Agriculture, was eventually assigned to the Department of Commerce.)

December 25. There were no clouds above or around the summit. Below, and but a little lower than this peak, the clouds were dense and covered an extensive tract of country. Through the less dense portion of the lighter clouds, the sun’s rays gave a peculiar rose-tint extremely beautiful in effect. This was my first cloud view, and it was a treat beyond expectation. About ten A.M., Mr. K. (Howard Kimball, photographer) and myself went out for an observation. We had the pleasure of witnessing the formation of several coronae, sometimes single but oftener three, even on one occasion four distinct circles, appearing and disappearing so rapidly that it was impossible to more than catch a glimpse of form and color. It was a phenomenon of rare beauty. Mr. K. devoted himself to the task of getting up a dinner worthy of the day. His efforts were entirely successful, and as the highest compliment we could pay him, we did full justice to the repast “our Blot” had prepared. The bill of fare embraced roast lamb, onions, canned peaches, corn-starch pudding, and sauces. It was not a bad dinner to sit down to on Mount Washington on Christmas day. Mr. S. (Sgt. Theodore Smith, weather observer and telegrapher) and I did the smoking for the whole party; all for the “Benefit of Commerce.” S. (Sgt. Theodore Smith) , K. (Howard Kimball), and N. (Solomon Nelson) made a call at the Tip-Top House, but did not stay long, the wind was too severe. Mr. S. takes our four-footed friends, the sable and mice, under his especial care, and sees that they get all the waste food. They are our companions, though we see them but seldom.

(Note: The significance of “Our Blot” as a nickname for Howard Kimball is not known, but perhaps was some sort of reference to his role as photographer.)

To learn more about the Huntington-Hitchcock Expedition, please tune-in to our online webinar, Science in the Mountains, on February 9 and hear from me, Dr. Peter Crane, as I present “Breaking the Ice: The First Scientific Expedition to Mount Washington.”

Summits of the northern Presidential Range in December 2020

The northern summits of the Presidential Range; taken 23 Dec 2020

Peter Crane, Curator, Gladys Brooks Memorial Library

All I Want For Christmas is…More Snow!

2020-12-21 14:55:30.000 – Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Today is the winter solstice so I figured it would be a good day to write about snow. At the time of writing, the forecast for Christmas Eve through Christmas day looks pretty dreary. The chances of receiving the winter weather equivalent of “coal” this year seems increasing likely: heavy rain and warmth. This late fall/early winter so far has been very New England-like with bouts of snow and cold, followed by rain and warming. Up here on the summit, we have seen slightly above average snowfall for October, followed by below average snowfall for November, and with December so far being right around average if we continue at the current rate. Unfortunately, the forecast for the next week does not promise much in the way of snow, so we will need a late storm to boost us up to average. Although the low snow across the north is a disappointment to snow lovers like myself, it is also an inconvenience to ski resorts who are forced to make snow, as well as for us planning our weekly summit shift changes. By this time in a normal winter season, the snow cat would be the main and only form of transportation top to bottom. Lately we have had to decide between van and truck with chains, a combination of wheeled vehicle and snow cat, or simply just the cat. The lack of significant snow pack has also allowed the snow cat ride, which takes upwards of multiple hours normally, to take just over an hour because of the minimal amount of plowing we have to do to keep the road passable.

Oddly enough, snowfall is already well above average in southern parts of the region. Looking at the snow depth map for New England (above) it can be seen that south central NH and VT currently have the highest depths due to last week’s monster snowmaker. Those areas saw anywhere from 36 to a grand total of 44 inches of snow from just that single storm. To put it into perspective, the all-time record snowstorm for the state of New Hampshire is 49.5 inches The National Weather Service in Gray Maine, which covers NH and Western ME reported that over 24 inches of snow fell in a 4 hour period in Central NH. Yes, you read that correctly. That equates to an average of 6 inches of snow per hour! I cannot imagine what that must have been like. This very rapid accumulation of snow was thanks to a focused band of heavy precipitation due to frontogenesis and strong dendritic growth. Basically, there was very strong vertical motion in the atmosphere, matched with plentiful moisture and a zone of cold temperatures aloft. These conditions allowed the flakes to grow large while not using much moisture to form. Cold air at the surface allowed the snow to pile up with lots of trapped air in the snow pack. At this point in time those 40+ inch depths have settled down due to natural settling from gravity, as well as sublimation and any melting that has occurred over the past few days. With that being said, that area of the state still definitely holds the deepest snow depths.

In my home state of Massachusetts we received about a foot statewide from that storm, with some northwestern areas receiving about 2 feet. Unbelievably, NWS Boston says we have already received more snow statewide than we did the entire winter season of 2019! Needless to say, the southern half of New England is starting off winter on a snowy foot, while the northern half has some catching up to do. The overall pattern looks to remain relatively active, and cold air is close by so hopefully more snow is on the horizon. Fingers crossed this upcoming rain storm does not do too much damage to the existing snowpack and we can resume with our normal winter weather. After all, winter is just starting.

Have a safe and happy holidays, and remember to think snow!

Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Mount Washington Observatory’s Virtual Classroom “Home of the World’s Worst Weather Live”

2020-12-14 13:09:03.000 – Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science and Education

With the end of the calendar year approaching, it’s a natural time to reflect on the past year and think of things to come. In the realm of educational programs at Mount Washington Observatory (MWO)- there’s a lot to reflect on. In this past year, a year with no equal, MWO was forced to suspend all in-person programs and figure out a way to uphold one significant part of MWO’s mission: develop and conduct innovative educational programs. One of the responses to this unprecedented challenge was to offer a free virtual classroom program called “Home of the World’s Worst Weather Live.”

Given the demand for relevant, high-quality and accessible virtual programs, it was prudent to take advantage of MWO’s already well-established distance learning programs and focus efforts on a free program that could reach as many classrooms as possible, no matter where they were (in-person, hybrid, remote, etc.). Weather Observer/Education Specialists Tom Padham and Ian Bailey got to work quickly, and by the first week of April Tom and Ian were conducting live programs three times a week from the summit, developing worksheets, sharing live weather conditions and forecasts and presenting mini “deep-dive” lessons on particular aspects of weather and climate on Mount Washington and beyond. Each week Tom and Ian covered topics such as severe thunderstorms or how individual weather variables are measured on the summit– always with an enthusiastic audience that enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions of the observers and hear their names and questions read aloud during the program.

Weather Observer/Education Specialist Nicole Tallman discusses some of the mountain-specific challenges of forecasting the weather at MWO during a virtual classroom program.

Following a summer hiatus that sadly saw the departure of both Tom and Ian, MWO was fortunate to see Nicole Tallman and Nate Iannuccillo come on board in the Weather Observer/Education Specialist role. With a chance to pause, gather feedback from the spring’s programs and contemplate how MWO could sustain programs not just for a month or two, but for the whole school year ahead, the education team decided to focus the virtual classroom even further to support middle school students as they traverse a number of topics within weather and climate. The Next Generation Science Standards served as a guide help build out the curriculum for the school year as well (see the screen shoot below). Programs moved from Facebook Live where they were previously held, and shifted to Zoom Webinar in order to provide even more flexibility, security and privacy protections to students no matter where they connected. Programs this Fall first took on topics in weather, where Nicole and Nate have so far covered everything from careers in meteorology, to global circulation patterns to weather prediction. As the year comes to end and winter weather reigns supreme in the mountains, Ice and Winter Precipitation will round out December.

Next Generation Science Standards at the middle school level for Weather and Climate: https://www.nextgenscience.org/topic-arrangement/msweather-and-climate

As we look ahead to the new year and continuing to build our audience of classrooms and students (many of all ages), the virtual classroom program will tackle the Earth’s Climate System, and Climate Change. For many students at the middle school level, this is the first time that the concept of climate change is introduced and teachers have the all-important task of helping students understand the scientific underpinnings of how Earth’s climate system operates, and how significant inputs to the system like greenhouse gas pollution impact long-term climate and present-day weather. Critical to this understanding, is providing students with credible, and where possible, local sources of knowledge and evidence related to climate change.

Between myself, Nate and Nicole, we’re incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to connect with students and their teachers right now in this continued time of need. There’s a lot to look forward to this spring as MWO dives deeper into aspects of program development that we’ve never had the chance to explore while building relationships with classrooms that continue to participate week after week, or just pop in here or there for a program, or just share our recorded programs whenever they can. With the support of the Kendal C. and Anna Ham Charitable Foundation, MathWorks Inc., and members of MWO, we are fortunate to have the continued support that allows us to focus on the task ahead and further the reach and impact of this storied institution.

For more information about MWO’s Virtual Classroom, including how to sign up for a program or watched previous programs, visit www.mountwashington.org/classroom

Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science and Education

Dear Santa…

2020-12-07 16:02:34.000 – Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Dear Santa-

I hope all is going well with you, the missus, and all your helpers up at the North Pole. I know that December is quite hectic for everyone at the N. Pole, but I hope that it is going smoothly as you get everything ready for those on your “Nice List.”

Speaking of that “Nice” list, fingers crossed that we grace its pages once again this year… I like to think that we acted kindly and respectfully to all those around us. When you arrive at NH State Parks Sherman Adams Building (where MWO leases its space), you will find a similar layout to last year. If you are having trouble remembering, your scout, the Elf on the Shelf, has been creeping on us and can give you a preliminary report and guide you to your milk and the freshly baked cookies for a quick in and out.

Like we have in years prior, we have snail-mailed the list to you last week, set up the digital list below today, and we have set up a WISHLIST on Amazon to consolidate it all at one page and add last-minute items to.

So, if it is not too much trouble; could you get us one or more of the following?

1. Office Supplies – We work like an office, so anything you can send that will cut costs for us is great: mechanical pencils, lead refills (0.5 or 0.7mm), erasers, pens, multi-colored sharpies, dry erase markers, average or small post-it notes, printer paper, etc.

2. Batteries – Preferably AAA, AA, or CR123 Lithium as our headlamps, flashlights, and rescue/research equipment use these. Or a few 9V’s as our smoke/CO detectors use these annually.

3. Humidifier – I know the summit is in the fog over 60% of the year but when a parcel of air is warmed, it’s RH drops and that can sometimes mean that while the outdoors is 100% RH, the indoors in winter can be anywhere between 5-20%. Our upstairs (weather room) humidifier is making an odd noise, so we’ll likely be in need of a large room humidifier soon.

4. Shovels – while I prefer steel, aluminum, or poly-types are also welcome as all will better assist us in keeping our fire exits and areas around our instruments clear.

5. Video on Demand gift card – Since we don’t have cable, satellite, etc up here, we use Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ for video on demand which provides us occasional entertainment for an hour or two in the evening to unwind.

6. Candles – Preferably the soy-based, large jar type or tumblers like the ones from Soyfire for example. They liven up our living quarters and make it feel more like home.

7. Coffee – Since we observe the weather 24/7/365, we like to stay caffeinated. While we typically brew pots of Coffee we occasionally will pop in a K-cup for the one-off cup as well.

8. Flour – a few of us like to bake bread in our downtime, so some Rye flour or other unique baking flours would be much appreciated (since good flour is hard to come by still)

9. Candy and gum – Since I know you eat a lot of cookies and sweets, I know you can relate. Can we ever really have enough?

10. Surprise us yet again! – Sometimes the coolest gifts are the ones you didn’t think you needed.

Santa, while I have, if you are still looking for gifts for other individuals on your list (while supporting us too), a few ideas for you to consider are:

1. Gift Donations – This will help lighten your bag of toys and help us out in our bold step forward in the coming years.

2. Observatory Memberships – Not for the Observers, but for other well behaved boys and girls on your list around the world. Since we are membership-supported, these gifts would be the gifts that keep giving over the year.

3. Shopping for Mt Washington items, weather instruments, calendars, books, pictures, etc – Not for us, but if you could purchase some from our online shop, it gives individuals on your list great items or wall decor while providing us some financial support (two birds, one stone).

4. EMS gear or Oboz Footwear – Again, not for us as they have provided us with everything we need to stay warm and dry up here. This is a recommendation for if you plan on using outdoor clothing/boots/gear for gifts for others on your list.

5. If you shop Amazon during the holidays (or the rest of the year), you can use AmazonSmile online or in your smart-device app. You get the item you want at no extra cost and in return, The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases towards MWO. If signing up or switching between groups, search for and select “Mount Washington Observatory” then make sure to use smile.amazon.com any time you make a purchase to support your favorite charity. Learn more HERE

That’s about it Santa. Remember that we don’t mind second-hand items so long as they are in good, clean, and usable condition. This helps out the environment and extends the life on perfectly usable stuff. We are really not picky and are just thankful for anything. Also, if you want a particular type of cookie and drink, like last year, you can post/DM your preferences on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages.

As usual, we will ensure that we have everything in order for your arrival: a clear deck and path to the door, well-greased doors (so we can’t hear you coming/going), deiced stairs, clean living quarters, decorated Christmas tree, and a full plate of cookies next to a glass of milk/nog/soy. And we will keep you posted on the forecast leading up to and on the night of your arrival. Safe travels and we look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

Santa Claus hat on Mt Washington summit sign in winter with snow

Thank you and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays –

Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Memories of Marty

2020-11-30 17:54:20.000 – Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

This blog post is one of the hardest ones I have had to compose in my 15 years here. Since I was here for the entirety of Marty Kitties life, I was asked if I’d like to write a post about his time on the summit. I started then deleted what I had about a dozen times. Where do I begin? What do I include? What do I write about? I guess I will just start from the beginning and let things flow from there.

When I started working on the summit in December 2005, the resident cat at the time was Nin. Nin was a white cat with a few black blotches. Nin was a lap cat and if you took a seat near him, he would take that as an invite to snuggle up regardless of who you were. He loved attention almost as much as he loved food and would commonly be seeking people to mind him attention and if he was lucky enough, provide him treats. And he loved his cat nip. Overall, he was an awesome kitty-coworker. However, by the time I had the luck of meeting him, he was getting up there in age in kitty years. By summer 2007, we started to draw up Nin’s retirement plan since he was about 17 to 18 years old and while still in good health, we wanted him to enjoy his remaining time in a more relaxed environment. Diane Holmes and Mike Pelchat, both rangers at Mount Washington State Park at the time, volunteered to take him in and we settled on the shift change after Christmas 2007 so we could have one last Christmas with our little buddy.

Nin

Parallel to Nin’s retirement plans, we had several discussions on what to do moving forward with the key topic being, should we get another cat? Eventually we all agreed on getting another feline friend and we started to think of how to go about choosing. With the political primary for Republican and Democratic candidates approaching in January 2008, we thought, why not have a cat primary at the same time? We contacted the North Conway Humane Society and worked with them in choosing three candidates that would fit well with our summit environment and crews. Three cats were chosen – Sarah, a white and black splotched short-haired kitty, Wilson, an orange and white short-haired kitty, and Marty, a black with hints of dark brown long-haired kitty.

Ahead of the cat primary, the various candidates released campaign videos and posters trying to capture the public’s attention and in turn, their votes. Leading up to the election, Marty had the edge in a poll we conducted but there were still a lot of undecided voters at the time, so it was too hard to call. The summit staff swung by the shelter during their respective off-time to meet each candidate so that if the popular vote was too close to call, they could choose who they wanted. But we all remained mum on who we wanted to avoid swaying the vote. At the same time, we were conducting a separate poll on the new cats name – should they remain as chosen or did people want something else?

On the day of the cat primary, over 8000 people logged on and cast their vote and the winner by a landslide was – MARTY! The “electoral college” of observers met and cast their votes and Marty was called the winner with us as well. On Wednesday, January 16, 2008, Marty met us at the base of the mountain for his inaugural trip up to his new home at Mount Washington Observatory. On January 18, 2008 polls on whether to keep Marty or change it to something else closed. The polls and voices of the forums said to keep Marty as he was named in honor to WMTW Channel 8 TV engineer/reporter Marty Engstrom, who worked for WMTW on the summit from 1964-2002.

Marty meeting us at the base for his first trip up. Left to right: Ryan Knapp, Brian Clark, Virginia Moore, Marty Kitty, and Steve Welsh

Marty meeting us at the base for his first trip up. Pictured left to right: Ryan Knapp, Brian Clark, Virginia Moore, Marty Kitty, and Steve Welsh

When Marty Kitty first arrived on the summit, he was estimated to be about 2 years old. While he had a bit of maturity to him (vs that of a kitten) he was by no means a mature, or calm kitty. He was high energy springing from any and all objects around the summit like he was playing a game of “The Floor is Lava” or parkour. If you opened a door to a bedroom, all you would see is a black blur as he rushed by and scaled the beds to the top bunks. He would then rollover and demand a belly rub. He LOVED belly rubs. I was not used to petting a kitties belly but eventually gave into his demands.

Marty Kitty exploring the mount washington observatory living quarters

Marty exploring the MWO living quarters

Marty waiting for a belly rub

Marty sleeping on a chair

We also learned early on that he loved water. He would splash in any water he could find. If he could, he would overturn smaller bowls and play in the newly spilled water. He would look into water buckets and splash around. He would go out into summer rain and come back with big black spikes of fur looking like he was ready to appear on MTV’s “Jersey Shore”. However, while he loved playing in water and getting wet, he only enjoyed such activity when it was on his terms. If he needed a bath, he was not having it. This was rough because for the first few years, we learned he had a genetic disorder which was causing his teeth to rot and as a result, when he groomed, he would smell really bad and a bath would be necessary. Eventually the decay resulted in him losing his teeth in the initial years he was with us and after that, he was able to groom and not smell. As a result, the bath times we gave Marty were luckily short-lived.

Marty Kitty splashing around in bucket water

Marty playing with the water in buckets

Marty Kitty getting a drink out of a glass cup

Marty getting a drink out of a glass

While he was toothless, that didn’t stop him from being a mouser. What he lacked in the teeth department, he more than made up for in the claw department. He loved to catch and bring us various… “gifts.” Sometimes his gifts were alive and he’d toy around with them in front of us leaving us to dispose of the present, sometimes his gifts were dead and he would leave the remnants for us to “enjoy”. Other times though, he would get distracted and the gifts would scurry back to temporary safety.

Marty and one of his many toys that helped him train for catching mice

In his time on the summit he met plenty of dogs; met but never befriended. He met a camel that came up during the Mt Washington Auto Roads “Hump Day” and I didn’t think a cat could provide a “what the…” face but Marty certainly expressed it that day. He met a skunk, luckily though it was a Pepé Le Pew type moment and they were friendly and we were able to get him without incident and thus avoiding a tomato bath. He chased down a fox which provided the answer to “What does the Fox say?” (it makes a weak, pitchy yelp/bark noise). He would watch the Ravens through the windows frequently.

Marty Kitty looking out a window at the passing Ravens

Marty looking out at the passing Ravens

He loved to follow his friends/coworkers around. During the mornings, he would follow us on walk around and eventually learned our routine and would run ahead and wait for us to catch up. At night, he would follow us out to/from the precipitation can. On fair weather days/nights, he would follow us around the deck on weather observations. He even made it up our ladders to the parapet a few times. He loved going outside and somehow always knew when it was safe to go out; not sure if it was the noise or pressure or what, but on fair weather days/nights he would bound up the stairs and wait to go outside, play around for hours then return to the same door to come in. Or if it was summer and we had doors and windows open, he would go in and out as he pleased.

Marty Kitty climbing up the tower ladders to the top of the parapet

Marty climbing the ladder to meet us at the top of the instrument tower

Marty Kitty outside during a nice day in the winter

Marty exploring the summit on a nice winter day

Marty Kitty on the mt washington summit sign

Marty on the Mt Washington summit sign

Marty Kitty by the mt washington summit sign during winter 2009

Marty by the summit sign, winter 2009

Marty Kitty by the mt washington summit sign during summer 2020

Marty by the summit sign, summer 2020

In his early years with us, he was quite the hiker. He followed us down to Lakes of the Clouds once. On a separate hike, he followed us down to Mt Clay. And on another hike, he followed us down to the Alpine Garden. He would start to follow us back up but would get tuckered and just lay down. So we’d have to make a makeshift cat carrier with our daypack or cradle him in our arms as we slowly walked back up together as he slept or lazily looked around at the world.

Marty on a summer hike

Marty Kitty on a hike down to Ball Crag looking back up at the NH State Park Sherman Adams Bulding

Marty on a hike down to Ball Crag

He was difficult to photograph. Sometimes he would cooperate and strike pose after pose with great lighting. Other times though, if it wasn’t a particularly bright scene, any subtle movement and he would become a giant blur or smudge in the scene. Other times he would pose and you’d get ready to photograph him and he’d dart off just before the shutter. Yes, we have posted several great shots over the years, but those were after countless ones that were right-clicked into oblivion.

Marty Kitty striking a pose for me

Marty Kitty standing by meteorologist Ryan Knapp during sunset

Marty standing next to me while I was out photographing sunset

When we first got him and for several years, he rarely meowed or made normalized cat noises. Eventually though, he found his voice and then we couldn’t get him to stop “talking” as he would meow, purr, etc. at any chance.

He was not a fan of strangers most days. Some days he’d let strangers pet and photograph him but other times he’d see an unfamiliar face and dart away. He was the same way with us initially but over time, he learned which faces were familiar and friendly and would warm up to us. Initially, he was not a lap cat but year by year he slowly became more and more comfortable in jumping into laps. He preferred some laps over others so he might start with yours but if he saw a better lap offer come along, he would be up in a flash and in that “better” lap in a heartbeat.

He would frequently sleep in the weather room. Most of the time he would choose to sleep in his bed but he would also choose to sleep on our arms while typing or sleep between us and the keyboard, or on the keyboard. He also knew where his treat drawer was located and would frequently sit on the desk above it trying to use some Jedi-mind tricks on us to get us to open the drawer and give him treats. Some of us were an easier target than others (he knew better than to try it on me as he only got treats from me when he did something deserving of them).

Marty Kitty sleeping on a book shelf in the weather room

Marty sleeping on the bookshelf in the weather room

Marty Kitty sleeping on a chair in the weather room and enjoying the suns warmth

Marty enjoying the warmth of the sun in the weather room

Marty Kitty hanging out with meteorologist Ryan Knapp while he recorded the morning radio show

Marty hanging with me while recording morning radio clips

Marty Kitty sleeping on the weather desk

Marty sleeping on the weather desk and keeping me company overnight

Marty Kitty waiting patiently by the kitty treat drawer

Marty keeping a close eye on the treat drawer

On his vet visits, he would depart the summit for the day. It was always fun to watch him stare out the windows at the trees and views from the valley. Having lived the bulk of his life above treeline, seeing such leafy objects was probably pretty interesting. Add in all the new noises and scents and it was likely a little vacation to a foreign land for kitty. His vet checks always went well, including this years visit. However, I had been living/working with Marty all his life and the past two years, I was starting to see him exhibit older age behavior like I saw in Nin and my cat I had as a kid. He would still follow me and others around but at a more laid back pace. Heights he used to easily jump to and from he’d hesitate or avoid doing unless you offered an alternative height. That “lap cat life” became something he looked forward to more and more. And he started to snore on occasion as he drifted into his deeper naps. Similar to Nin, we started to consider his retirement plans so he could enjoy a calmer and quieter life off the summit. We collectively settled on the end of 2020 so we could all have one last Christmas together. However, as the saying goes, “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.”

Earlier this month I was just starting my time off when I received a call from my manager, Rebecca, informing me that the cat had passed away. It was startling news and difficult to process. I flashed back to him cuddling up in my lap like usual Tuesday afternoon and now, just like that, he was gone. Over the course of the weekend I privately cycled through the various stages of grief as I processed the news. I wanted to tell my family, friends, and various former coworkers but in an era where news can spread like a wildfire, I kept mum until a formal announcement was made. News finally broke and I started to share. It was surreal then and it still feels so surreal now. I returned from my break on Saturday and several times I momentarily lapsed and caught myself seeking out Marty – when I arrived, when I first woke up in the afternoon, at dinner, and during my overnight shifts. Each time though, I was met with silence and no kitty.

While Marty wasn’t my first summit cat while working at MWO, he was definitely the one I bonded more with. With our work schedule and living alone, I am unable to have a pet during my off-summit time. So Marty was the closest thing to having a pet. A little buddy I could hang with, care for, and watchover when on the summit then I could leave and someone would watchover and care for him until I returned. I have worked with several coworkers over the years that all have since moved on to other things, however the one constant I could return to each week was Marty and now that constant is gone. While Marty is no longer by my side though, he will always be in my heart and his memories will live on through those that were lucky enough to have met him in his time here with us.

Marty Kitty, forever in our hearts

Ryan Knapp, Weather Observer/Staff Meteorologist

Summer Days and Snow-vember Nights

2020-11-23 20:25:41.000 – David DeCou, Weather Observer

Hello and windy greetings from the summit of Mount Washington!

My coworkers and I are currently in the middle of a 10-day long shift up on the Rock Pile, and it is shaping up to an exciting time. As I write this, Jay, Nate and I are finally about to experience our first snow event of the season. The summit has had a few snow events already, but so far, nearly all of the snow accumulation has happened while the three of us were off the summit, followed by a melt-out during our shift up. Finally, it seems to be our turn for snow! Currently, (11/22/20 at 10 PM EST) the summit is in the clouds with temperatures around 21°F, with winds out of the south at 49 mph. A low-pressure system is bringing a warm front through the region tonight along with plenty of moisture out of the south, which is currently responsible for the sparse snow showers passing through. Below is a spectacularly blurry photo of the snow coming in, illuminated by flashlight beam with our instrumentation tower in the background.

A few questions arose when it came to the forecast for tonight into tomorrow. How much snow will we receive? Will the warm front bring summit temperatures above freezing? Will winds gust over 100 mph tomorrow evening? Snowfall and high winds are always exciting, and these things can be difficult to forecast, especially when winter has not fully arrived yet. Only time will tell. So far this month it feels like we’ve jumped back and forth from one season to the next. The weather conditions this shift have been drastically different from our previous week on the summit. Two weeks ago, on Sunday, November 8, we broke the daily high temperature record, reaching up to 50°F in the afternoon. It was the first of five days in a row where our record daily high temperature was either broken or equaled. 50 degrees may seem chilly, but for us, it was like we time-travelled back to summer! To give you an idea of how warm that is for this time of year, the all-time November temperature record at Mount Washington is 52°F. If it were an average November day, we might have reached somewhere in the lower to mid-20s. It may not have been shorts-and-a-t-shirt kind of weather, but it was as close as we were going to get in early November. We had relatively light winds, sunny skies, and spectacular views from the summit for days in a row. Even on the non-record-breaking days, we enjoyed well-above-average temperatures throughout the entire shift. The snow and ice that had built up during the previous week had all but melted out, with just a few deep patches lingering. I really enjoyed finishing off my night shifts with a sunrise each morning. Below is one such sunrise – the photo was taken from inside the rotunda.

After heading down the summit in such nice conditions, the journey back up one week later was a perfect reminder of how rapidly the conditions can change. We left the summit in summer and came back up in winter. The summit had received 4-5 inches of snow over the course of several days during our week off, which is a relatively modest amount in and of itself. However, this amounted to deep snowdrifts on portions of the Auto Road that made it impossible to plow through by normal means. We discovered this over halfway up, requiring us to swap to the snowcat for the first time this season. Below is a wintry image taken from the Auto Road during the journey up last Wednesday. It may look mild, but it happened to be the coldest day of the season so far, with summit temperatures reaching a low of -5°F. It has been a while since I’ve felt that sort of cold, and it was a good reminder of what to expect in the next few months. Winter is certainly coming. As of right now it looks like temperatures will drop close to zero after this next cold front passes, with hurricane-force winds and wind chills of 30 below. The weather can be many things up at the summit of Mount Washington, but it is rarely boring.

David DeCou, Weather Observer

Have an Ice Night

2020-11-16 20:20:20.000 – Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Hello from the blustery summit of Mount Washington!

I usually write long observers comments but I need to keep it short this time because I am writing this during a storm, while working the night shift alone. As I type this, it is currently around 26 degrees with winds close to 90 mph, and freezing rain (~09:30 PM on Nov. 15). I just came in from de-icing the instruments and my jacket and pants are stiff from glaze ice accumulation. I was outside for less than 10 minutes but I now look and feel like a human icicle.

Thermoshack Coated in Glaze Icing

I am one of the day time observers here at the observatory but this week our usual night observer Ryan took a well needed and well deserved vacation, and I had to take over nights for this shift week. It has been quite an eye opening experience to say the least, and I have gained a lot of respect for Ryan and David, our full-time night observers up here. It takes a different breed of scientist to work the night shift, and while I am making due for the time being, I am not one of them. The calm, clear nights I’ve been able to experience so far this shift week have been breathtaking. The way the night sky looks from up here on the summit is inexplicably beautiful, and I have seen at least 2 dozen shooting stars as well. The not so calm, foggy nights have been a completely different type of experience with a very eerie feel to them. It seems to take much longer to get my eyes to adjust with the fog, and once they adjust, still not much can be seen. It is hard enough to see through fog during the day, so you may be able to imagine what it is like in the dark. Tonight has been wild so far, we started with some snow grains (small, white balls of snowflakes), transitioned to ice pellets (small, clear balls of ice), and have since switched over to full freezing rain. This is my first time dealing with freezing rain up here, as well as with the glaze icing it creates, and I am humbled by it. It coats everything with a hard, greyish coating of ice, which is much harder to de-ice than the normal feathery rime I am used to.

A-Frame Coated in Glaze Icing with Blowing Freezing Rain Visible

This storm system has also been a learning experience for forecasting for myself, and I think my fellow daytime observer Nicole, as well. The forecast for tonight looked like mainly snow for elevations above roughly 4000 feet, with rain for lower elevations. The odd thing I noticed was that the models were not showing much snow accumulation, which I assumed was due to the fast moving nature of this system, but I assumed wrong. Winds have also been from the south, which is funneling in relatively warm air, causing the precipitation to stay liquid as it falls. There does not seem to be a cool enough portion of the atmosphere for snowflakes to form, as of this point in the night. Our higher summit forecasts did not mention the chance of freezing rain, although now I realize there were a few signs that this was coming. It has been a learning experience to say the least. I have to head back outside to de-ice the instruments, so I will end here. I hope you enjoyed reading this and I hope to write more soon.

Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Election Polls, Plinko, and Weather Forecasting

2020-11-09 11:57:13.000 – Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Like many people in the United States this past week, I spent my evenings watching election results come in. One of the striking things about this election as well as elections in recent years, was the stark contrast between the predicted results and then what actually happened.

A consistent question that has seemed to come up in this election as well as previous years is “How could the polls be so wrong?”. As a weather forecaster, this question seems all too familiar, and any seasoned meteorologist can generally tell you a few things about the discrepancies between forecast models and the resulting weather conditions.

Being familiar with the general concept of complex systems and deterministic forecasting, the inherent challenges are clear. Yesterday and today, as I prepare the higher summits forecast, I reflect on the similarities between the two environments. I say this as someone with admittedly little familiarity with political forecasting and how prediction polls are compiled, but I understand the concept of modelling complex systems, and it’s here where I see some compelling similarities.

A big part of the challenge in modelling is trying to replicate what we describe as a chaotic system. Chaotic systems are those where we perhaps understand the basic interactions, but where describing the flow of the system on the whole becomes complex and difficult to predict. When we try to replicate these systems with a model, they exhibit a hypersensitivity to the initial conditions. Essentially, the farther we get from the real time data, the greater the discrepancy in our ability to forecast the system as a whole.

Take for example, the classic carnival (and price is right) game, plinko. We know that by dropping the ball into the labyrinth, when the ball hits a peg, it will go one of two ways. Sounds simple enough, right? But as we start to observe the trajectory of the ball, we find that a ball dropped in approximately the same spot will exhibit a wide range of different paths through the labyrinth. We understand that when the ball hits a peg, two potential outcomes occur, with the ball falling to one side or the other. Despite this basic determinism, as we continue to play plinko, we notice that the trajectory of the ball exhibits hypersensitivity to the initial conditions, a sensitivity that becomes more and more pronounced as the ball navigates the labyrinth.

Modelling plinko runs in ensemble style…

We can see how the trajectories begin with a fair degree of certainty, but with time, that certainty disintegrates, yielding a large uncertainty.

Modelling complex systems exhibit similar mathematical behavior, and weather models are no exception. Common examples of this are ensemble forecasts from hurricane models.

More recently, we can see a “spaghetti model” showing potential trajectories for Hurricane Eta from about a week ago. The storm is currently active off the southern tip of Florida.

Notice how the trajectories diverge and gain uncertainty with time.

Weather models, unlike our relatively simple plinko game, use a complex network of equations and parameterizations that attempt to replicate the dynamics of our atmosphere. Many large-scale models are fueled by some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, and these models incorporate a large amount of in situ data that’s used in conjunction with the model physics and parameterizations to try to replicate our weather at a high resolution.

This conceptual knowledge is important to the human forecaster who is constantly trying to interpret the model outputs and communicate their uncertainty. Understanding this basic idea helps to clarify why forecasters are always trying to look at the most recent model runs, because we can see how uncertainty increases as we get further and further from the model’s initialization.

As a weather forecaster myself, I’m constantly looking at model outputs at work, so when I see the election polls and analysis, I find myself asking very similar questions about how political situations are being modelled. In politics, we see a network of voters, subject to categorical choices where decisions are made from complex array of variables. From here, I draw my questions… What type of data is being used to initialize this model? What exactly are the model physics and parameters when trying to replicate something as frivolous and whimsical as the human mind?

I recognize that these questions have tangible answers that lie outside the current scope of my knowledge, and I’m aware of this because of some basic conceptual knowledge of modelling. This allows me to recognize that even with something that seems fluid and unpredictable like an election, scientists of a different nature are at work sculpting a physics out of human voting tendencies.

With this in mind, I wonder where the limitations lie in election forecasts. In weather models, while our knowledge of the physics is improving, with models certainly getting updated and adjusted now and again, weather models are largely limited by computing power; our ability to account for and compile the smallest details in our complex earth system to a high resolution.

With election forecasting, I wonder if this is the case, or if we are somehow missing something in terms of the “physics” that I refer to. All models have their limitations and uncertainties, and I find myself trying my best to interpret and understand them, both in meteorology and politics alike.

Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

A Spooky Day on the Summit

2020-11-02 14:16:28.000 – Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Working for Mount Washington Observatory’s summit weather station means working shifts of 8 days on 6 days off. Sometimes these shifts are normal weeks and other times they fall on birthdays and holidays. On this most recent shift, my coworkers and I celebrated Halloween atop the tallest mountain in the Northeast!

Figure 1: The Great Summit Pumpkin looking at the full moon from the rotunda.

Halloween was much different this year for everyone, including myself who has never experienced the holiday in such a remote place! The weather conditions for the day were not spooky at all, rather they were perfect with clear skies, mild winds but crisp cool temperatures. I had packed my costume and kept it a secret until that morning when I walked upstairs to the Weather Room wearing Ms. Frizzle’s dress! As a former middle school science teacher and now Educations Specialist for MWObs I felt this character was very fitting! I always strive to be someone who excites others about science and the fascinating things that occur around them, just like Ms. Frizzle. Unfortunately, I did not have an education program to run on Halloween so I could not truly be Ms. Frizzle then. However, I channel my Ms. Frizzle energy every Monday at 11:15am when I (and my counterpart on the other shift, Nate) host our virtual classroom series from the summit!

Figure 2: Observer Nicole Tallman dressed as Ms.Frizzle for halloween!

Later that evening we all looked forward to the full moon that was to come. We watched the sun go down while the full moon rose on opposite horizons. The bright orange moon made its appearance against the pastel lit skyline.

Figure 3: The Great Summit Pumpkin by the summit sign.

Later that evening once the sun was fully down, we went outside to find a dark sky brightened only by the full moon in the sky and The Great Summit Pumpkin propped up by the summit sign. This of course made all of us smile! Celebrating the holidays away from home can be a bummer, but the summit crew really knows how to make this place feel like a home away from home.

Figure 4: Full moon rise on Halloween night with sunset colors.