Historical Posts Archives - Page 9 of 378 - Mount Washington Observatory

October 2020

Special Relativity and the Myth of the Passive Observer

2020-10-26 14:32:57.000 – Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

A couple weeks ago, the summit experienced what ended up being the most intense thunderstorm that I’ve personally witnessed in the White Mountains. For at least one observation, we even coded “Continuous Lightning” in our METAR (meteorological aviation report). This is defined as observed lightning occurring 6 times per minute. The storm was particularly fierce with a tornado warning going out for Coos County, and the summit even got struck by lightning three times over the course of an hour.

After the lightning subsided, I got to thinking about the day’s events, and my thoughts led to some interesting reflections. As I considered the lightning strikes on the summit, I was reminded of a classic physics scenario used to help explain Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity.

The example goes something like this…

You find yourself on a high-speed train, traveling through a thunderstorm. As the train is speeding through the countryside, you see the front of the train get struck by lightning immediately followed by the rear of the train also getting struck shortly after. As an observer on the train, you witness these strikes occurring at two separate times.

Simultaneously, a person standing still in the countryside also watches the train go by, and also manages to see both lightning strikes. However, in this case, this person observes both lightning strikes occurring at the same time.

How can this be? And whose observations are correct?

Special relativity tells us that they’re both correct as long as we assume that the speed of light is constant. This then forces us to consider the reference frame of the observer in relation to the speed of light.

If the speed of light is constant at approximately 3×108 m/s, then we also know that the visible world we perceive is always a function of the time it takes light to reach us. In doing so, we can recognize that everything we see and perceive has a certain time attached to it. This is what is meant by the space time continuum.

This becomes especially important when studying things on really small and really large scales. For example, we measure the distance of deep space objects based on the time it takes light to reach us. This is what is meant by a “light year”; the distance light travels in one year. For example, the andromeda galaxy, an object we can see with the naked eye during favorable atmospheric conditions, is approximately 2.5 million light-years away. This means that the light we’re seeing from this galaxy is around 2.5 million years old, some of oldest light we can see unaided. I find that pretty incredible!

Recognizing the relationship between time and space, we can see how important it is to take into account the motion of the observer relative to the speed of light. This is what special relativity is asking us to do, to always consider the motion of the observer relative to the speed of light. In doing so, we can see that time passes slower for objects in motion. Imagine yourself moving away from the andromeda galaxy. The time it takes for the light to reach you will be different from someone else moving at a different velocity. And so we see how important it is to consider the reference frame of the observer.

Returning to our example with the high–speed train, I think we can now see, when considering the different reference frames, that these events can and do happen at different times for different observers.

After mulling this over, I eventually realized that its significance has everything to do with the fact that as an observer, special relativity proves that at the largest and smallest scales, we cannot observe anything without somehow changing it. Essentially, the observer is always part of the picture. Often times, as scientists, we like to think that we can remain detached, simply studying things “as they are”, but relativity checks this attitude.

Relativity means that we have to see and interpret the world through our own frame of reference. In doing so, we have first become aware of our bias as observers, and relativity highlights this quite well.

While relativity factors in adjustments primarily for large and small scales (think particle physics, astrophysics etc.) that are generally outside the scope of my job here at the observatory, I find myself questioning my own role on a more philosophical level. What does it mean to be an observer? What is the frame of reference that I’m constantly living in? What kinds of biases do I display in my own frame of reference each and every day? I’m not just talking about my job title; I’m talking about how special relativity has caused me to continually examine my role as a biased observer in a dynamic world...

Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Snow Much Excitement

2020-10-19 16:25:50.000 – Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Hello again from 6288’,

As many of you likely already know, the summit saw its first substantial snowfall of the season this past Saturday. What was originally forecasted to be a mostly high elevation snow event with rain for lower elevations ended up being an “early” season snowfall for northern and western parts of our region. I say “early” since technically on the summit we are behind schedule for significant snowfall but it was quite early for lower elevations, although not unheard of. We received no snowfall in the months of August or September, where on average we usually receive at least 0.1” and 2.2” in those months, respectively.

This storm was due to a coastal low moving up the eastern seaboard and then meeting up with, and tracking along, a stalled front to the east of our location. As the low rotated through our region it pulled cold air down from the northwest which lowered temperatures enough to change the rain over to snow. The dendritic growth zone of the atmosphere had adequate conditions to produce well-formed flakes and the rate of fall was strong enough to lower surface temperatures, allowing accumulations to occur even on paved surfaces. This storm was my personal first up here on the summit, and I had the opportunity to give my best shot at forecasting it on Friday. I knew due to it being “early” season that it would pose more challenges than a run-of-the-mill winter storm. The numerical models we commonly use to help forecast have seasonal algorithms that change as the seasons change to better reflect how the atmosphere and patterns behave. Another challenge was that most snowfall forecast models assume a 10:1 snow to liquid ratio. Since the precipitation was changing over from rain to snow during the course of the storm, the snow to liquid ratio was most definitely going to start out lower, closer to 5:1 or even 3:1 (lower the ratio, heavier and wetter the snow). None-the-less I used what I had and studied the different models to the best of my ability. Early snowfall amounts were forecasted around 6-8” but during the day Friday, mid-day model runs had less snow forecasted, and only high elevations were to receive snow. I thought this was suspicious since it was a bit of a drastic change so I held out for the afternoon model runs to come out. I was glad I did because the models had once again trended upwards.

State Park Sign on Saturday Morning

My final forecast revision on Friday, for Saturday, was 6-9” with locally higher amounts possible. I had a gut feeling that snow could reach lower elevations but was less focused on that, as we forecast for the higher summits of the White Mountains since we experience much different weather than the valley, normally. On Saturday morning, my fellow observer Nicole and I ventured out to take pictures and experience the mayhem. Winds were increasing through the morning, eventually topping out near 100 mph, and when we ventured out the gusts were close to 80 mph. The blowing snow made for treacherous walking and visibilities were 20 feet or so at best. When gusts were stronger, it was hard to see 5 feet in front of you. The drifts made walking nearly impossible as some steps were on nearly bare ground, and some steps you would walk into a 3 foot tall drift. Quite the experience for my first snow storm.

Our first 6 hour snowfall measurement was about 6” and once melted down, gave us a snow to liquid ratio of about 7:1, which was about expected due to the timing of the measurement. The snow picked up once again during the morning hours and our early afternoon 6 hour snowfall measurement was 7” which also ended up having a snow to liquid ratio of about 7:1 once melted down. The snow depth on ground measurement was a challenging one, and required me to use my best judgment and an average of many different readings as one might expect. Winds were gusting to around 100 mph at the time so many spots of the summit were bare, while some drifts were close to 5 feet tall. A depth measurement of 12” was recorded before the snow tapered off, and continued to blow around the summit like crazy. I was sure glad I had upped my forecasted snow totals!

Snow Covered Summit with South Views on Sunday Morning

As for the rest of the region, snow totals ranged from roughly 1-2” at the lowest elevations to 8-9” along the international border and higher valley locations. Jefferson NH, a close valley neighbor to us reported 9.3”! Judging by snow depth maps after the fact, it also appeared that some higher summits across the region received a foot or more similar to us. I was quite amazed to see that NH DOT was out plowing and salting as snow had accumulated even on roadways throughout Northern NH. Even more amazing was that 0.2” of snow was reported as far south as New Ipswich NH, a town close to where I live in Northern MA. Many locations across New England also received beneficial rainfall amounts of 1” to close to 4” in some spots, which definitely helps the drought conditions we have been experiencing the past couple months. Also, as a winter sports enthusiast, I was delighted to see a handful of diehard skiers posting about their first tracks across the North Country. Since higher elevations did see more snow (in most spots), skiers were able to hit the slopes on many mountains while colorful foliage was still present at lower elevations leading to some awesome shots.

Sunrise over Wildcat Mountain on Sunday Morning

I look forward to more winter storms as winter is my favorite season and I love snow. I also look forward to writing more observer comments in the future. Thanks for reading!

Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Founding Day

2020-10-15 19:24:12.000 – Mount Washington Observatory Staff, Weather Observers

Today we celebrate the founding of Mount Washington Observatory…

Setting the stage on October 15, 1932, Bob Monahan, Sal Pagliuca, Alex MacKenzie, and Joe Dodge set up a permanent presence on the summit. Using funds obtained from a research grant and a few private donors, the Mount Washington Observatory was formally established, with a mission of advancing the understanding of weather, climate, and the mountain itself.

Photo 1. Original four observers

Just two years later, on April 12, 1934 the Observatory captured what was then the fastest surface wind speed ever observed by man, at 231 mph. This thrust Mount Washington into the spotlight, and highlighted the value in having a mountaintop weather station.

Due to their steadfast dedication and the Observatory staff that followed, this mountain top weather station remains a unique operation staffed 365 days a year and proudly maintains one of the longest running climate records in North America. Now 88 years rich in history we continue to gather, disseminate and analyze daily weather data; to contribute to the critical, long-term weather and climate record essential to scientific understanding of weather and climate in a unique, extreme environment.

Photo 2. Present day observers

While we at the Observatory are extremely proud to celebrate our history, it is only a fraction of what makes the day so special. None of it would have been possible without the support of our donors and members! Thank you to everyone who has had a hand in making the Observatory what it is today, we genuinely couldn’t do it without you!

Mount Washington Observatory Staff, Weather Observers

Delta’s Remnants Brings A Series Of Remarkable Weather Phenomena To The Summit Of Mt. Washington.

2020-10-14 06:32:37.000 – Jay Broccolo, Weather Observer/Meteorologist

Hello everyone!

Last night I was working on a blog about my experience hiking Mt. Whitney and going to Badwater Basin in Death Valley. I thought it might be interesting for some people to hear about some of the weather that sparked off a series of storms over Sequoia and Inyo National Forests, which went on to start a series of unprecedented wildfires out west. Maybe you wanted to see some pictures of the weather station at the lowest point in the United States that recorded the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth at 129.9° F on the 16^th of August, 2020. The 134.1 recorded back on July 10^th, 1913 has been in question for some time now. We ONLY experienced temperatures as high as 127° F. If there is interest in this, then I can post it a little later, but for now…

Fast forward to this morning, October 13^th, 2020. I decided to put the writing I did the night prior on hold. I apologize for the tease if you were interested in the above topic, but I think you will appreciate this as well.

It began as a beautiful morning with another striking sunrise. Not so beautiful that it made other striking sunrises less notable, but an uncommon sunrise nonetheless. There were not many clouds aloft. We could tell that cloud cover was increasing and there was certainly some moisture to the southeast, marked by lower visibility. Winds were southerly and they appeared to be southeasterly in the valley as we watched the undercast roll over the Carters and Wildcat towards the northwest. A little higher up and several hundred feet above Northern Presidential Mountains were constantly changing wispy lenticular clouds with intersecting flows creating these intricate cloud formations. Naturally, we snapped some photos.

Sunrise on 10/13/20 with the southeasterly surface flow and undercast rolling over Wildcat and the Carters

Sunrise occurred at 0551EST (0651EST), and the morning radio call, where we call out the weather to all the huts from the AMC, RMC, and other listeners, was at 0700EDT. Sometimes it is tough to catch the sunrise when it rises during actual work activity. As I came in to prepare for the radio call, I noticed the beginnings of a rainbow forming over Mt. Willey and Field. It was lacking the blue and green color but was developing so I went up to the parapet to snap a couple of photos of the rainbow before the radio call. I only had a couple of minutes, but this is what I managed to snap beforehand.

Rainbow beginning to form to the west of the instrument tower over Mt. Willey and Mt. Field.

During the radio call, I was watching the rainbow continue to develop while calling out the weather. It usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes to go through all the relevant data and forecast information. That can be the entire life span of a rainbow; they are finicky things really. About halfway through, I noticed ANOTHER rainbow what looked to be coming out of the Great Gulf. I looked back towards the west at Mt. Tom, Field, and Willey and there is a double rainbow. This is just nuts. Maybe it’s just me and I’m not claiming this to be true all the time, but in my almost 2 years here, I’ve seen the Aurora Borealis more than I’ve seen Rainbows, and here I am looking at 3. All the while “Winds will be south shifting NW at 25 to 40 mph…” I did mention it on the radio, just in case any of them could see it too. Even my co-worker Nate came in to tell me how awesome it was up on the observation deck of the State Park Building.

Once finished with the radio call I headed up to the observation deck and proceeded to take many pictures. The first thing I noticed was the upslope rain showers. The skies were becoming increasingly cloudy with the clouds below the summits moving ever closer from the south. The air was extremely dry ahead of the rain. The lower level clouds sitting around 4000 feet almost completely evaporated into the air on the approach to the summit before I head into the weather room for the radio call earlier. Now, moisture was lifting up over the summit and compressing, condensing, and spitting out some rain. As the winds picked up a bit, those wispy lenticulars that were forming over the Northern Presidentials were now forming over Mt. Washington. Constantly changing, thin layers of clouds rushing over the summit and then sinking down into the Great Gulf where the pressure was lower.

The next thing I noticed was all the lenticulars around. They were everywhere and made the sky look like it was a massive mountain range covered in snow similar to the Alps or Rockies, except in the sky. Then to top it all off, those three rainbows I saw earlier were actually all part of the same Rainbow. A near 200° colorful display of shimmering, reflecting, refracting, and dispersing light from the oncoming moisture wave rose out of the Great Gulf over Willy and Field, stretching up into the sky as the lenticulars flowed through. A secondary one had formed a bit further south down route 302 but faded along the upward curve. Anyone of these three events or phenomena were quite spectacular on their own. Witnessing all three around the same time was almost too much emotion to handle.

Rainbow stretching out of the Great Gulf through one of the weather room windows.

Lenticulars to the northwest that look like snowy mountain peaks off in the distance.

Lenticular up close over Ball Crag.

As always, thanks for reading and supporting us!

Jay Broccolo, Weather Observer/Meteorologist

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

2020-10-05 16:42:26.000 – Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science and Education

After taking the summer off, Mount Washington Observatory (MWO) is thrilled to be re-launching the free “Home of the World’s Worst Weather Live” virtual classroom program today meant for students in grades 6-8. Weather Observer/Education Specialist Nicole Tallman will kick our school-year-long series with an introduction to the weekly program and the science and study of meteorology. If you weren’t able to join live today be sure to check out the recording at www.mountwashington.org/classroom . While you’re there, be sure to check out the schedule of topics in the weeks ahead as the program expands on topics in weather, climate and climate change throughout the school-year.

As classrooms shifted almost entirely to the virtual last March, demand for high-quality online learning resources instantly became a necessity across the country. Given MWO’s long history of working in a physically distant environment, there was a tremendous opportunity for the organization to step up and provide free, accessible programming for students no matter where they were. So, with the hard work of MWO’s staff educator/scientists and other support staff, “Home of the World’s Worst Weather Live” ran from the end of March through early June, providing 27 programs to countless students and teachers across the region and country.

With the re-launch of the program this October, viewers can expect some changes to build on the successes of this spring. For starters, programs will be offered once a week on Monday mornings at 11:15 am Eastern on Zoom. In order to watch the live program, students and teachers will need to register for each program in order to receive the program link via email. Each live program will be hosted on Zoom webinar, meaning students and teachers will be using their microphones or cameras to participate for extra security. Every program will feature poll questions and a Q&A session that will allow students to ask any question they have about topics in weather and climate that they’d like one of the weather observers/education specialists to answer. As previously mentioned, if you missed a program, not to worry- each program will be recorded and added to the program webpage and MWO’s YouTube channel for viewing at your leisure. Each program will also have an associated program worksheet and links to topic-relevant games, experiments and other resources based on that day’s topic.

Well, that’s all for now, but if you know an educator or student who might benefit from joining the program, please share the word far and near, and for any program questions, topic suggestions or other comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to education@mountwashington.org . Thank you for supporting Mount Washington Observatory’s educational programs!

Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science and Education

A Different Kind of Extreme

2020-09-29 06:27:18.000 – David DeCou, Weather Observer

Hello from Mount Washington Summit!

It has been quite some time since I’ve last written here, so I’ll briefly re-introduce myself. My name is David DeCou, and I’ve been a night weather observer here at the Obs for the past seven months. I first arrived at the tail-end of February as someone new to the area and to the summit. Riding up in a snowcat for the first time, I felt as though I had landed on another planet. A planet coated in feathery brittle rime ice, shrouded in fog, and buffeted by roaring winds. I had the uniquely intense experience of heading outdoors in 120 mph wind gusts on just my second day. It wasn’t until my fifth day that the fog cleared enough for me to experience my first gorgeous views off the summit. After that first week, these seven months have flown by at a blistering pace. It’s hard for me to believe it’s nearly October already! This year has been quite a ride so far, even before I arrived at Mount Washington Observatory – even within the first minute of 2020. At the stroke of midnight, I rang in the New Year by walking around the world. At 90 degrees South, 9,300 feet above sea level, and a balmy 15 degrees below zero, I took a little stroll through every longitude, circling the geographical marker denoting the southernmost point on Earth.

My First Non-Foggy View Off Mount Washington Summit, March 2020

Before I arrived at the Home of the World’s Worst Weather, I worked as a meteorologist at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, alongside a rotating population of scientists, engineers, technicians, carpenters, chefs, and anyone else needed in order to make it all happen. We were all “Polies,” just as the workers living at the more populous McMurdo Station (or MacTown) are called “Townies.” During the summer season, we had anywhere from 100 to 150 residents at a given time. My job was a four-month contract with the United States Antarctic Program that lasted through the austral summer season. From November to February I lived and worked at the very end of the world, taking weather observations, providing station forecasts, launching weather balloons, and doing quality control of daily, monthly, and annual data. Although my work at Pole mainly concerned aviation support, it was similar to what I do now, in a similarly extreme environment. In this post I wanted to talk a little bit about my experiences at Pole and how they’ve compared to my experiences at Mount Washington so far.

Arrival on the Skiway at Amundsen-Scott

The conditions at South Pole are extreme, even during the more mild summer season. In early November when I first arrived, I remember stepping out onto the Skiway from a Kenn Borek Air Basler BT-67 and my senses were immediately assaulted. The brightness of the sun contrasted with the sharp, dry cold that entered my lungs. The ambient temperature was about 35 degrees below, but with mild 13, 14-mph wind speeds, the wind chill reached below -60°F. It was the sort of cold where ice would begin to form on your eyebrows and eyelashes the moment you stepped outside, not even to mention the inside of your nose. A face covering was usually necessary. In addition, breathing became more of a chore, after having travelled from sea level to a physiological altitude of 10,000 feet in the span of just a few hours. It’s very common for new arrivals to experience some form of altitude sickness within the first week. For me, it was a lingering exhaustion that took several days to subside. It’s strange to think of South Pole as having a higher elevation than Mount Washington, especially with a flat expanse of ice stretching out in all directions. However, the difference in air pressure is very tangible. I began work at Pole almost immediately, staying up my first night to train in my new position. That’s another thing about the summer: the sun never set that first night, nor did it ever set during my time in Antarctica. It wheeled around the horizon endlessly, slowly rising higher in the sky in December and January, and then settling back down into February and March ahead of the long dark winter. The constant sunshine was an aspect of life at Pole that I absolutely expected, but it was still very surreal for me to experience for the first time. It was that “I’m on a different planet” sort of feeling, which I also felt when I experienced Mount Washington winter for the first time.

South Pole’s Clean Air Sector as Seen from the Roof of NOAA’s Atmospheric Research Observatory

The sheer cold and dryness of South Pole are extreme in their magnitude and constancy, but the weather is generally calm. I don’t remember wind speeds getting much higher than 30 mph during my stay. However, during a Mount Washington winter, the weather is often cold and violent, and the hazards are much more immediate. I have only been through a month or two of winter on the summit so far, but nothing I experienced at Pole compares to de-icing the tower instruments at night in high winds. With one smack of a mallet, hurricane-force winds send chunks of rime ice larger than my head flying effortlessly into the dark. I quickly learned to be careful of exactly where and how I was standing while de-icing. De-icing is a common, sometimes hourly winter task at the summit, but it was never something I needed to think about at South Pole. There’s so little moisture in the air at Pole that even if fog does come through, rime ice doesn’t really have a way to accumulate. The frequent winter fog at Mount Washington Summit can easily reduce the visibility to zero, which is often compounded by blowing snow and ice. Winters on Mount Washington can feel like a sprint, one week at a time. I have often heard that South Pole winters, with months of darkness, isolation, and unfathomable cold, are more of a marathon.

Ice crystals suspended in the air often create optical rings like this around the sun. The ceremonial South Pole is seen here to the bottom right, from the roof of the Elevated Station.

So far, most of my time working at Mount Washington has been during the far more mild summer season, so right now, winter feels almost like a distant memory to me. As we get into fall, we are beginning to experience freezing temperatures again on the summit, which lets me know that winter is not at all far off. I look forward to experiencing an exciting full winter at Mount Washington summit, and re-living what I felt during my very first week up here. Winter on the summit is a completely different animal from my summer at South Pole, but the excitement and the weather is well worth it.

My first sunset seen from Mount Washington Summit, March 2020

David DeCou, Weather Observer

So Far, So Good

2020-09-21 16:15:12.000 – Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Hello again from the highest office in the East,

For those of you who have read my first couple blog posts I’m glad to have you back reading. For those of you who have never read my previous observers’ comments, welcome. I am Sam Robinson, a Northern Massachusetts native who is a mechanical engineer with a passion for the weather. I am now into my 3rd month working here as an observer and it is going very well. The last observer’s comment I wrote I was on the opposite week’s shift, and have since switched to the other week’s shift with Ryan and Nicole due to personnel requirements for each shift. I miss my original shift, but definitely love being on this week just as much. I truly feel blessed to be employed by an organization with such an awesome crew as a whole.

With virus protocols in place, my time so far at the observatory has been relatively quiet but “normal” to me, as I never knew what it was like up here beforehand. With no visitors, volunteers, or trips it is just me and my two fellow observers working and living up here. Since there are no volunteers we cook all of our own meals, and switch off who gets dinner duty. I think my cooking skills are improving, and I’m happy to say I have not burnt any dinners or made anyone sick yet (knock on wood)! With that being said, my dinners may not be “gourmet” by any means. My coworkers on the other hand are spectacular chefs, and come up with some awesome meals. My two favorites so far have been Ryan’s rendition of a bacon carbonara, while Nicole made a delicious German chicken dish with dumplings. I pretty much never go hungry.

Some Foliage Starting to Show in The Great Gulf Wilderness

One of the most important parts of being a weather observer is being certified by the National Weather Service as one, by passing the METAR exam (METeorological Aerodrome Reports). Simply put, METAR is a code used to define weather conditions during an observation so that the aviation community can know weather conditions in certain areas and keep them safe while flying. Our data is also sent to the NWS to help in area forecasts. At the observatory we get 6 months and 2 attempts at passing the exam in order to stay employed as a weather observer. I, and the other new observers hired this year were faced with the difficult task of preparing for and taking the exam in a shorter time period. The first round of new observers (David, Nate, and Nicole) took their tests in August and all three passed first try!!! Seeing this feat accomplished put a bit more pressure on me since I personally also wanted to pass first time. I studied hard, and was provided with some excellent prep materials from Nicole, one of our Education Specialists (fittingly). I took my test in early September and also was able to pass my first attempt!!! Not coming from a meteorological background or having much previous weather education provided me with a large amount of self gratitude, and also reflects highly on the rest of the staff that helped me prepare. I cannot thank them enough!

I grew up loving the outdoors, and have always been an avid hiker even since before I could walk, in my dad’s backpack! I have been able to hike over to the summit of Mount Clay (our nearest neighbor to the north) on a couple occasions and it is such an awesome opportunity to get out and enjoy some fresh mountain air. Being able to take in the amazing views from a different point is also a wonderful aspect. It is a little odd hiking downhill, rather than uphill, to start the hike but nonetheless is still great hiking. The views over the past few days have been basically maxed out, with high pressure overhead and relatively dry air aloft. 130 mile views have been common, and with the foliage starting to pop below it has been truly breathtaking. I find myself looking out the window so much (probably more than I should be, but I guess I am an observer). Also, since starting in July I now have well over 200 pictures on my phone, so that I can cherish the most special views indefinitely.

Southwest View from the Summit of Clay

The biggest adjustment so far has been being away from home for a week at a time, every other week, and I am still not sure I have fully adjusted yet. It has provided me with a newfound love for my hometown and appreciation for the differences in the vastly different and unique areas of New England. I commuted 2 hours round-trip to college each day for 4 years since I could not see myself enjoying life in the city all that much and I needed the woods, hills, and tranquility. Life on a mountaintop has definitely been different and I still get my fresh air and tranquility, but I miss having my engines around to tinker with, my family to share moments with, or my pets to play with (Marty is great, but getting old!). The best part of it all though, is that every other week I am home to relax and experience other aspects of life.

Sunset Over Camel’s Hump, VT (77 mi.) and Whiteface, NY (129 mi.)

With all of that being said, I feel incredibly lucky and happy to call this place my part time home. My fellow crew members basically feel like a family while on the mountain, and the experiences and memories I have been accumulating with them have been second to none. I would not want it any other way.

Sam Robinson, Weather Observer/Engineer

Worlds of Dew

2020-09-14 11:53:38.000 – Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

This world of dew

is a world of dew,

and yet, and yet.

-Kobayashi Issa

I remember first reading Issa’s famous haiku 5 years ago and being struck by its profundity (I should mention that this is just one possible translation from the original Japanese). Many great haiku seem to have a sort of universal nature and magnitude to them, and trying to explain them almost seems to do a disservice to the art, but as I continue my work as a weather observer, this one keeps coming to mind…

At work, I feel a constant drift from microcosm to macrocosm, as I’m constantly charged with meticulously recording small meteorological details in an effort to make sense of the bigger picture, and it is in this realm that this poem seems to have particular weight. Often times, my observations feel like a grain of sand in the vast oceans of climate science and meteorology. But what a grain of sand it is!

Surely, anyone who has spent time on the summit recognizes what a dynamic and unique place this is, with a fascinating microclimate of its own. Often times when we start to sharpen our gaze, we realize that the microscopic details, so often overlooked with all their transience, tend to contain dynamic worlds of their own.

Supposedly Issa wrote this poem in the early 1800s after the death of one of his daughters. I wonder what was going through his mind. As I look outside, fog collects on the window, and a large aggregate drop rolls down the pane, before disappearing out of sight.

Nate Iannuccillo, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

You Live On The Summit?!

2020-09-07 15:16:31.000 – Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

After a busy weekend on the summit, I have realized there are many people that are unfamiliar with how the Obs staff operates on the summit. I had many questions asking about how long we are up here and many shocked faces when they learned that we live on the summit for a week at a time!

Figure 1: Living room in our living quarters

Summit staff is split into 2 shifts with 3 observers per shift. We have shift change every Wednesday and swap out the 3 observers. This means that when you are up-bound you are then on the summit for the next week! We live in our living quarters, which is one flight of stairs below our office space (not a bad commute to work if you ask me). There is a set of 2 daytime observers that work 12 hours during the day and one night observer who works the opposite 12 hours. We keep this schedule every shift!

Figure 2: Kitchen in the Obs living quarters.

Along with the daily tasks of weather observers, recently we have also picked up the duties of cooking and cleaning. In a typical year, we have 2 volunteers who will join a shift and help out with cooking and cleaning. However, recently it has just been the bare bone staff meaning that we have all gained experience cooking for the shift! The rotating dinner duty has been a new and fun experience of being back on staff at the Obs. When I was an intern in 2017, I was spoiled with the hospitality of Summit Volunteers.

Figure 3: Dining area in the living quarters.

After our 12-hour shift on duty observing the weather, we eat dinner family style and typically will relax together as a shift. Recently, my shift has been watching a TV series together and occasionally will even play a card game. Living with your coworkers is just another aspect of this job that makes it so unique. You truly do get to know the people you work with much faster and better than in any other setting. I left my internship feeling as if I gained a summit family and lifelong friends, and I feel that will happen this time around as an observer as well!

Nicole Tallman, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Oboz on The Go

2020-09-03 08:26:18.000 – Rebecca Scholand, Summit Operations Manager

I think it is safe to say that many people have experienced a change in their 2020 habits and plans. I feel like my day to day schedule can vary so wildly that even my best laid out plans change quickly and unexpectedly. As spring came into focus the beginning of April, I was excited to pack away my Oboz insulated Bridger boots for something lighter and more breathable. I had every intention to spend quite a bit of time exploring the local trails around me as quarantine was still in its infancy. Because of this I decided to lace up with a pair Oboz Aretes. I choose both a low waterproof and mid non-waterproof, as I wanted variety in my day to day. Little did I know this choice was about to knock itself out of the park when it came to versatility.

Amidst my time living in the Mount Washington Valley and working on the summit of Mount Washington I have been running around quite a bit over the past few months and on a fairly tight schedule. I have struggled to adjust to the new pace of life and still find time for myself outside. Often times when I do get out it isn’t expected, but having a shoe that crosses over all aspects of my life helps. The Aretes offer a durable, comfortable, and stable shoe that doesn’t look bad either. I can put them on in the morning and take on whatever outdoor wandering or relaxing I got into without needing to change.

Because of our partnership between the Mount Washington Observatory and Oboz, our staff including, myself are fortunate to be prepared for whatever is thrown our way at work. It’s a bonus to have the same comfort and durability follow us into our personal lives too.

An evening back yard dinner off the summit.

Rebecca Scholand, Summit Operations Manager

Previous 8910 Next