The Mount Washington Observatory (MWObs) is a private,

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

scientific and educational institution organized under the laws of the state of New Hampshire. The weather observation station is located on the summit of

Mount Washington Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934 ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...

. The Observatory's mission is to advance understanding of the natural systems that create the Earth's weather and climate, by maintaining its mountaintop weather station, conducting research and educational programs and interpreting the heritage of the Mount Washington region. The first regular meteorological observations on Mount Washington were conducted by the U.S. Signal Service, a precursor of the

Weather Bureau The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...

, from 1870 to 1892. The Mount Washington station was the first of its kind in the world, setting an example followed in many other countries.

History

The U.S. Signal Service, a predecessor to the Weather Bureau, occupied the summit and kept records from 1870 to 1892. Starting in 1932, the current observatory began keeping records. On April 12, 1934, the observatory staff recorded a wind gust of 231 mph that at the time was the highest recorded wind speed in the world, a record that was held until 1996. The observatory's weather data have accumulated into a valuable climate record since. Temperature and humidity readings have been collected using a sling psychrometer, a simple device containing two mercury thermometers. Where most unstaffed weather stations have undergone technology upgrades, consistent use of the sling psychrometer has helped provide scientific precision to the Mount Washington climate record. The observatory makes prominent use of the slogan "Home of the World's Worst Weather", a claim that originated with a 1940 article by Charles Brooks (the man generally given the majority of credit for creating the Mount Washington Observatory), titled "The Worst Weather In the World" (even though the article concluded that Mt. Washington most likely did ''not'' have the world's worst weather). The

Sherman Adams Llewelyn Sherman Adams (January 8, 1899 – October 27, 1986) was an American businessman and politician, best known as White House Chief of Staff for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the culmination of an 18-year political career that also incl ...

summit building, named for the 67th

Governor of New Hampshire The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire. The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...

, houses the observatory; it is closed to the public during the winter and hikers are not allowed inside the building except for emergencies and pre-arranged guided tours.Mount Washington Observatory

Climatic data

Education

The Observatory holds a strong tradition of education. In addition to its meteorological and research endeavors, the Observatory is involved in many educational efforts which seek to inform individuals about the many significant aspects of weather, area history, and the mountain environment. MWObs educational facilities and programs include:
Observatory Tours
allow summit visitors to tour the Observatory's summit weather station and research facility. Tours are only offered to MWObs members.
The Mount Washington Museum
begun in the 1940s, is located in the Sherman Adams Summit Building in Mount Washington, and illustrates the rich natural history and the fascinating human history of Mount Washington through exhibits, photographs, and video presentations.
Distance Learning
allows students grades 4-12 to video conference with observers at the summit and learn about climate and weather from those who experience and study it first hand.
Winter EduTrips
affords the general public the opportunity to overnight on the summit of Mount Washington mid-Winter without a technical mountaineering ascent. EduTrippers typically arrive and leave on a snowcat, though a hiking descent can be opted into on a nice day. EduTrips have themes such as "Implications of Global Climate Change," "White Mountain Geology," and "Photography on the Summit."
Summer Day Trips

Outreach Programs
brings Observatory staffers to schools throughout the Northeastern US. Outreach events typically include experiments, demonstrations, and lessons which aim to help both students and teachers understand weather concepts. Made possible through a grant from

Subaru of America Subaru of America, Inc. (commonly known as SOA), based in Camden, New Jersey, is the United States-based distributor of Subaru's brand vehicles. SOA is a subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. The company markets and distributes Subaru veh ...

Partners

The Mount Washington Observatory receives much of its support from contributing members. However, over the years the MWObs has also come to receive support from several company and organizational partners, including

L.L. Bean L.L.Bean is an American privately-held retail company that was founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean. The company, headquartered in the place in which it was founded, in Freeport, Maine, specializes in clothing and outdoor recreation equipment. ...

Eastern Mountain Sports Eastern Mountain Sports (or EMS) is an outdoor clothing and equipment retailer in the Northeastern United States headquartered in Meriden, Connecticut. EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line. The compa ...

(EMS),

Cranmore Mountain Resort Cranmore Mountain Resort, operating in the summer as Cranmore Mountain Adventure Park, is a ski area located in North Conway, New Hampshire, United States. It began operations in 1937, and was owned until 1984 by the Schneider family. During th ...

, the Mt. Washington Auto Road, and th
Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce
In 2011, EMS replaced L.L. Bean as the official outfitter of the Observatory. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

maintains a small

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional ser ...

for outgoing mail, located in the Sherman Adams building at the summit; the ZIP Code is 03589.

References

External links