Arctic Wednesdays 2025: Week 5 Post-Trip Blog

 

A Mount Washington Adventure!

I just returned from an incredible trip to the summit of Mount Washington, the legendary home of the "World's Worst Weather"! And let me tell you, even on a stunning bluebird day, the mountain's power was palpable.

We took a thrilling snowcat ride up, winding our way through the snowy landscape. The views were simply breathtaking, especially when we stopped to gaze at the dramatic expanse of Tuckerman Ravine.

One of the highlights of the day was being able to connect with my class via livestream! I was so excited to share my experiences in real time. We even got a fantastic weather report from Amy, one of the brilliant scientists at the Mount Washington Observatory. She walked us through the forecasting screen, explaining everything from visibility and average wind speed to the bone-chilling wind chill and the highest wind gusts of the past 24 hours. It was a fantastic learning opportunity for my students!

After our virtual classroom visits, a friendly intern gave us a fascinating tour of the summit station. We ventured up to the observation tower, where we experienced the raw force of the 40+ mph winds firsthand. It was also incredible to see the ice that built up inside the tower – a testament to the mountain's extreme conditions.

We spent some time soaking in the views (and the wind!) from the observation deck before heading inside for a warm lunch. The crew and volunteers at the observatory were incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable. We had some amazing conversations about what it's like to live on the summit for a week at a time. They even showed us a hilarious video of themselves being blown across the observation deck by hurricane-force winds – a phenomenon they've dubbed "Mountain Mario Kart"! Watching them get pushed across the deck and then have to crawl back against the wind was truly something else.

Before our descent, we got a glimpse into the world of weather forecasting, learning about the various instruments used by meteorologists. One fascinating fact I learned was that the scientists on Mount Washington had to invent a new tool for tracking wind speed! Traditional anemometers couldn't withstand extreme icing and breakage, leading to the development of the Pitot-static anemometer (Pitot tube) and the Alpine RM Young anemometer. This invention, adapted from aircraft airspeed measurement, has revolutionized weather forecasting in challenging climates, including Mount Everest.

Yes, you read that right! The innovation that came from studying the extreme weather on Mount Washington has helped improve forecasting on the highest mountain in the world. Before 2019, weather stations on Everest were non-existent, forcing climbers to rely on guesswork. In May 2019, thanks to the ingenuity fostered on Mount Washington, a team installed the world's highest weather station network on the Nepal side of Mount Everest.

This trip was an incredible learning experience, and I'm so excited to share all these insights with my students when we start our Weather and Water unit next month. I can't wait to bring the magic of Mount Washington into the classroom and take their learning to new heights!

Andrea Besegai 
6th Grade Math and Science 
Laconia Middle School, Laconia NH