Meteorologists perched atop the Northeast’s highest peak, known for the world’s worst weather, took advantage of recent icy conditions to engage in a rather unusual activity: subarctic surfing.
After days of freezing temperatures and high winds, officials at Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire said the summit had unique rime ice formations everywhere.
Rime ice forms when liquid water droplets from fog collect onto objects during below-freezing temperatures.
“The rime ice wave on the top of our tower hasn’t formed in nearly two years, so it is rare to see it as big as it is in these photos,” the nonprofit organization said on social media.
Atop the icy 6,286-foot peak, weather observers Charlie Peachey, Alex Branton and Alexis George showcased the unique challenges and rewards of their winter work.
Shrouded in fog for two-thirds of the year and chilled by an average temperature of 27 degrees, Mount Washington offers prime conditions for rime ice, according to the observatory. This icy phenomenon can accrete at rates sometimes reaching 9 inches an hour.
“Mountain weather is subject to rapid changes and extreme cold, so never dress like the observers in these photos when on the summit in the winter,” the observatory warned.
Mount Washington Observatory is a beacon for extreme weather data. It’s where a wind speed of 231 mph was measured in 1934, setting the record for the highest wind speed ever recorded in the U.S.
Weather observers brave the harsh conditions daily, manually collecting data every hour to support National Weather Service forecasts. Despite the challenges of icy winds, they maintain a 24/7 presence, often relying on Snowcat transportation during the harsh winter months.
