Mount Washington Observers
an environment less ordinary
It's cold and windy. Wish you were here.
Wednesday, Feb 11, 2004 (05:01
PM)
| The Mount Washington Observatory |
The Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, where we're writing from, may not technically have the worst weather in the world. There could be a place on earth where the wind gusts higher than 231 miles per hour, where temperatures fall to lower levels, and where storms and icy conditions are more severe; it's just that no one has ever stuck around such a place long enough to confirm the facts. Here on top of the highest peak in New England, we keep watch on the weather around the clock, 365 days a year. (Well, 366 days this year.)
The observers here have kept daily weather records since 1932. We track storm developments for the National Weather Service, perform research that's designed for extreme conditions, and help develop scientific instruments that can withstand the sub-Arctic climate. In our spare time, the Observatory staff puts together "The Weather Notebook," a syndicated radio show about the science behind the weather, which includes contributions from around the globe.
We also keep a series of online journals, with notes on weather, life at the Observatory, and occasional pictures and video. For the next two weeks, we'll be sharing our journals with P.O.V.'s Borders, and answering questions from readers. (Here's an answer to a question you haven't even asked yet: That 231-mph wind, recorded in 1934, is the highest ever recorded on the planet's surface.) If you can't make the trip up to the Observatory in person (and right now, you can't, because the conditions are dangerous and the Observatory is closed to the general public until mid-May), this is the next best thing.
- The Observers
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THE MOUNT WASHINGTON OBSERVERS
