Windswept Online

Visibility from Summit Increasing Over Time By Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science & Education | June 15, 2021  Weather Observer Sam Robinson stands above the clouds in December 2020. Observers record prevailing visibility at each of their 24 hourly observations, every day of the year. Visibility appears to be generally increasing over time on the summit of Mount Washington since our continuous record of visibility began in 1943. This noteworthy finding comes in the wake of an initial data exploration and analysis of Mount Washington Observatory’s (MWO) long-term visibility records, completed by Weather Observers Jay Broccolo

Avalanche Deaths a Tragic Part of Mount Washington History By Peter Crane, Curator, Gladys Brooks Memorial Library | June 15, 2021 Mount Washington and Ammonoosuc Ravine (looking from the west). The large dot marks the approximate site of the Forgays tragedy. Bradford Washburn photo. On Monday February 1, 2021, an avalanche in Ammonoosuc Ravine took the life of Ian Forgays, 54, of Lincoln, Vermont. Forgays, a very experienced backcountry skier, was skiing alone in this ravine on the western side of Mount Washington. Weather conditions were favorable with the temperature in the single numbers and teens and

The Science Behind Nor'Easters The Science Behind Nor'Easters Extra-Tropical Cyclones and the Extreme Weather they Make on Mount Washington The Feb. 25, 2019 Hays Chart shows a 171 mph wind gust, caused by the passage of an ETC and the development of a secondary area of low pressure, which is characteristic of a nor’easter. Unique beasts known for punishing weather, nor’easters serve an important purpose for our globe despite their infamous reputation. A type of extra-tropical cyclone (ETC), nor’easters get their colloquial name from unique localized characteristics, mainly the coastal northeast flow that occurs before the

Weather 101: Tropical Storms By Nicole Tallman, Past Weather Observer & Education Specialist | November 15, 2021 An example of a hurricane’s eye and surrounding eye wall, where the most ferocious winds of the storm occur. NOAA photo.  Come late summer and early fall, we begin to hear more about activity in the tropics. The threat of hurricanes becomes more prominent and you may find yourself thinking about how and why these storms are forming. One of the strongest storms known to people, a hurricane begins its life cycle as a cluster of thunderstorms in the

Partnerships Key to Continuous Mesonet Operation By Peter Gagne, Technology & Operations Manager | November 15, 2021 An AMC helicopter airlifts 150-pound batteries plus other heavy items to Mizpah Spring and Lakes of the Clouds huts on Sept. 13. Ringo Starr was mostly the silent, steady figure in the Greatest Band of all Time, but one line from a Beatles’ song that featured his vocals is particularly pertinent to our topic: “Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.” During my time at the Observatory, we have partnered with many businesses, organizations, and

New Normals Reveal Valley and Summit Temperature Increases, Among Other Climate Trends By Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Science & Education | November 15, 2021 Chances are, you’ve heard a meteorologist refer to weather conditions as near, above, or below “normal.” But just what is normal for where you live? Who gets to say? How is it even determined? Every 10 years, the National Centers for Environmental Information [(NCEI) formerly known as the National Climatic Data Center] are charged with generating climate statistics known as U.S. Climate Normals, based on requirements from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and National