Arctic Wednesdays 2024: Week 4 Post-Trip Blog

 

February 22, 2024  -  Kate Paraggio, Nashua High North

 

Yesterday dawned cold, bright, and clear as I headed to the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road, and I was excited to see glimpses of the snow capped mountain as I drove up Route 16.  Our crew in the Snow Cat included Aimee Reutzel (my fellow Arctic Wednesdays participant), Tricia (super enthusiastic intern), and the next group of volunteers and weather observers.  We were joined by a representative of CRREL, an organization that was testing a prototype of a winter weather hardy autonomous vehicle (with drivers present on its inaugural trip up the mountain). Before we left, I used my handheld weather meter to take some readings so I could compare them at various places on the mountain.

The views from the Snow Cat were gorgeous, and the conversations as we rode were very informative. Ryan, the overnight weather observer, answered all the questions I asked from the mundane (which peak is that?) to the meteorological (why might the temperature of snow vary under the surface?) as well as volunteering information about the trees near the summit (the fir wave phenomenon and the fact that the trees are very old despite being scrawny) and the mesonet (interconnected sites that collect weather data) they are trying to expand. We stopped once so I was able to take some more readings.

Francis, one of the weather observers, led us on a tour of the station and showed us some of the traditional instruments still used to collect weather data once we reached the summit.  When he showed us the cans used to collect precipitation, I just nodded.  It was not until Tricia took us outside later that I understood how arduous it can be for the observers to collect and replace the cans.  They have to brave the extreme weather to bring the new can to the collection site, and then they have to retrieve the used can while keeping it upright in what are often hurricane force winds!

 

Speaking of winds, I was aware (because I had seen photos) that the observers frequently have to clear rime ice from the instruments on the very top of the observatory.  That appeared to me to be a tedious and bitterly cold task, but after climbing a spiral staircase and a few ladders I realized how dangerous it could be.  As I climbed the final ladder, Tricia asked me not to touch any of the upright posts that supported the railing because it could cause errors in the data collected by the instruments attached to those posts.  That was not terribly difficult for me since it was a sunny day with light wind.  Imagine being the night observer (only one person is on duty overnight) climbing the ladder in darkness with an ax to remove the ice during high winds, getting to the top and having to use both hands to wield the ax, all while being sure not to damage anything. That seems even more daunting than replacing the precipitation can.

I took my last set of readings and then Tricia, our very enthusiastic and entertaining guide, showed us around the summit, giving us a brief history of the buildings there and pointing out ice formations. The rime ice was astounding: feathery shapes generally oriented in the direction of the prevailing winds, sometimes in thin (5 cm in height) clumps and sometimes in large piles that look like snow.  It was beautiful and more delicate than the ice I have seen on ponds or icicles.

 

After what seemed to be too brief a time,  we headed back down the mountain with the outgoing crew.  I was able to capture a temperature inversion with my readings! The conversations in the Snow Cat as we descended mostly centered around the application of weather data.  Francis had mentioned that the aviation industry is keenly interested in it, and I know that it is vital to the military and agricultural companies.  One of the observers discussed his research on the effects of rain on snow, and the representative from CRREL said that they were working on coatings to prevent the formation of rime ice on instruments. I appreciated the opportunity to interact with so many people who are passionate about what they do, and I value the accessibility of not only the data that MWOBS provides, but also the staff that are so willing to answer questions.