Good ole Mt. Washington... always there to put things in perspective. 
Wild October on Mt. Washington
Staff and Wire Reports
MOUNT WASHINGTON Two weeks ago today, Mount Washington toasted in its highest temperature ever for an October day, 62 degrees.
Today, the Northeast's famous rock pile is expecting a few more inches on top of a record, 34-inch snow dump it received over the weekend.
The snowfall closed the state park concession and museum a few days ahead of time. Wind hit triple-digit speeds earlier this week.
And if a little less than a half-foot of snow falls by Halloween night, a record will be set for total October snow accumulation.
"Basically, we've had white-out conditions for the last three days," weather observer David Balfrey said yesterday morning.
Snow accumulated as low as 4,300 feet on Mt. Washington, meaning other peaks in the Presidential and Carter ranges likely received snow, said Tim Markle, chief observer at the Mount Washington Observatory.
Meanwhile, the Mount Washington Auto Road is trying to keep a portion of the road open so tourists can get a glimpse of the early snow, Markle said. It is scheduled to close on Sunday.
The top of the 6,288-foot summit looks like mid-winter. Drifts are 12 feet high. Ice is ubiquitous. Observers must climb weather towers and smash the ice with crowbars, hammers, "anything heavy and blunt," Balfrey said. "It's not the most scientific end of our job."
By yesterday afternoon, another half-inch of snow had fallen. The temperature was 31 degrees, and the wind was about 55 mph, down from gusts of 136 mph on Monday morning.
The 34-inch accumulation beat the record for the most snowfall from a single storm in October. It also beat the record for the most snow in 24 hours in October; 25.5 inches fell between noon Sunday and noon Monday.
Only another 5½ inches of snow is needed to top the record for total October snowfall, which was set in 2000.
"We are pretty sure we'll get another four or five inches before the end of month," Balfrey said.
Meanwhile, Mt. Washington could still break the record for the warmest October. The temperature from Oct. 1-11 was 50 degrees or higher, and as of yesterday, the average October temperature stood at 14.6 degrees higher than normal, Markle said.
The highest October average, set in 1947, was 8.4 degrees above normal. The average daily temperature for this time of year is 31 degrees.
Summit temperatures are forecast for the mid-30s over the next few days, then drop to the low to mid-30s over the weekend, when a big storm system along with rain or more snow could arrive, Markle said.
Balfrey is keeping his fingers crossed.
"We definitely enjoy this kind of weather," he said. "That's what we sign up for."
Wild October on Mt. Washington
Staff and Wire Reports
MOUNT WASHINGTON Two weeks ago today, Mount Washington toasted in its highest temperature ever for an October day, 62 degrees.
Today, the Northeast's famous rock pile is expecting a few more inches on top of a record, 34-inch snow dump it received over the weekend.
The snowfall closed the state park concession and museum a few days ahead of time. Wind hit triple-digit speeds earlier this week.
And if a little less than a half-foot of snow falls by Halloween night, a record will be set for total October snow accumulation.
"Basically, we've had white-out conditions for the last three days," weather observer David Balfrey said yesterday morning.
Snow accumulated as low as 4,300 feet on Mt. Washington, meaning other peaks in the Presidential and Carter ranges likely received snow, said Tim Markle, chief observer at the Mount Washington Observatory.
Meanwhile, the Mount Washington Auto Road is trying to keep a portion of the road open so tourists can get a glimpse of the early snow, Markle said. It is scheduled to close on Sunday.
The top of the 6,288-foot summit looks like mid-winter. Drifts are 12 feet high. Ice is ubiquitous. Observers must climb weather towers and smash the ice with crowbars, hammers, "anything heavy and blunt," Balfrey said. "It's not the most scientific end of our job."
By yesterday afternoon, another half-inch of snow had fallen. The temperature was 31 degrees, and the wind was about 55 mph, down from gusts of 136 mph on Monday morning.
The 34-inch accumulation beat the record for the most snowfall from a single storm in October. It also beat the record for the most snow in 24 hours in October; 25.5 inches fell between noon Sunday and noon Monday.
Only another 5½ inches of snow is needed to top the record for total October snowfall, which was set in 2000.
"We are pretty sure we'll get another four or five inches before the end of month," Balfrey said.
Meanwhile, Mt. Washington could still break the record for the warmest October. The temperature from Oct. 1-11 was 50 degrees or higher, and as of yesterday, the average October temperature stood at 14.6 degrees higher than normal, Markle said.
The highest October average, set in 1947, was 8.4 degrees above normal. The average daily temperature for this time of year is 31 degrees.
Summit temperatures are forecast for the mid-30s over the next few days, then drop to the low to mid-30s over the weekend, when a big storm system along with rain or more snow could arrive, Markle said.
Balfrey is keeping his fingers crossed.
"We definitely enjoy this kind of weather," he said. "That's what we sign up for."
