Outreach Blog

The awesome moments during my visits with the outreach program are endless.  The most recent was when I visited the 6^th grade students of Lakeway Middle School.

As I was signing in at the main office I was informed that the class I was visiting would have a substitute.  I guess administration may have thought that I was planning to work with the regular 6^th grade teacher.  “Oh, I know.” I said with smile.  “She’s actually on the summit of Mount Washington right now.”  I added.  Ms. Anderson, the 6^th grade teacher, was participating in a volunteer work week at the Mount Washington Observatory.  What better way to get her kids interested in the Mount Washington Observatory and the extreme weather that surrounds the White Mountains than to explain where Ms. Anderson is at that very moment.

As soon as I walked into the classroom I was greeted by the students.  It was obvious that Ms. Anderson had prepared them for my visit and shared her past experiences of visiting the summit with them.  The students were fantastic…just like all the students that I visit.  They were inquisitive, interested, enthused…they wanted to keep talking about Mount Washington, the Observatory, what Ms. Anderson would be doing for the next week.  I then asked, “Would anyone be interested in talking to Ms. Anderson…right now?”  They roared, “YEAH!”  So, I took out my cell phone and dialed the summit.  “Hello.  May I speak with Ms. Anderson please?”  She knew I was visiting her class that day and I didn’t want her to know who was calling.  I quickly put the phone on the hands-free setting.  “Hello?” She asked as she wondered who could be calling her at the summit.  As I stood in the middle of the 6^th grade classroom with my cell phone in the air we all smiled at one another with excitement and said, “HELLO MS. ANDERSON!”  It was one of the coolest moments when we heard her laugh as it took her no time to figure out who had called her.

Now, that was just through a phone.  Imagine if it was through video conference…seeing person to person.  Well, it’s what we’re currently working on at the Obs.  Right now we’re conducting a few tests, which will help us to provide distance learning programs from our weather room to your classroom.

If your school has video conference equipment and you’re interested in participating in our distance learning pilot program send me an email at outreach@mountwashington.org

Michelle Cruz

Outreach Coordinator

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Recently one afternoon, while it was lightly snowing I watched a friend of mine stare at her black keyboard as she held it upright in her hands after bringing it in the house, from out of the car.  She said, “Wow.  There are actual snowflakes on the keyboard…”  I smirked as I thought of the Observers.  I imagined an Observer going outside to determine whether it was snowing or not. 

To no surprise, the summit of Mount Washington experiences quite a bit of wind.  In the winter this wind will pick up already fallen snow and take it a short distance before releasing it to the ground once again.  This visual may be deceiving and can mislead one into thinking that it’s snowing again.  "Is that more precipitation falling from the clouds?"  Not exactly.

So, how does one determine new snow on the summit of Mount Washington from blowing snow?  Included in the hourly observation, if necessary, the observer will go outside with a flat, black, felt board and stare at it.  If an actual snowflake is spotted, then we have falling snow, new snow, precipitation.  If not, well then, it's just blowing snow.

I remember when I started working with the Obs and witnessed my first snowflake on the black, felt board…it was pretty cool.

That’s exactly what I thought of when I saw my friend stare at the black keyboard.

Michelle Cruz

Outreach Coordinator

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