Observer's Comments:
06:25 PM Thu Jan 15, 2004 EST
WINDCHILL!!!
It is difficult to convey just how cold it is outside. Further still, it is in fact hard to fully appreciate the cold with layers of synthetics, down, and wool protecting every square inch of our bodies. There is a simple solution to these problems: Take your gear off and run outside! (we are trained professionals, do not try this at home!) Pete, our summit manager, promptly informed us that this was not in compliance with our no skin exposed policy, but then left the room to check on the furnaces. Upon our return to the building, shivering uncontrollably, we were still baffled as how to explain the severity of the cold. Jason came to the rescue stating, It is 100F warmer in here than it was out side! Tim then went one step further by factoring in winds that were gusting to 92MPH. The combination of the air temp of 39F and the wind brought the wind chill to a remarkable 97F. That gave us a grand total difference of indoor and outdoor effective temperatures of 170F!
Today marked the 3rd consecutive day of record breaking cold temperatures, and tonight could well be the main event. There is the possibility, based on some of the model data, that temperatures will fall below our all time low temperature of 47F. This would not only break our record but also the official State of New Hampshire record. All eyes are on the thermometers!
