Mount Washington Records Coldest Wind Chill Ever(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Mount Washington Records Coldest Wind Chill Ever
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/04/nyregion/mount-washington-cold-new-hampshire.html
46 comments
Gotta love the meteorologist who went outside to check it out:
Venturing outside onto the mountain to track the system Friday, Francis Tarasiewicz, a staff meteorologist at the Mount Washington Observatory, encountered wind that sounded like a roaring freight train. “There were pieces of ice flying around, lots of ducking and dodging,” he said. “I had a tiny, millimeter-wide area of skin exposure, and it felt like a bee sting.”
His Twitter is fairly entertaining too with some videos of the onsite meteorologists playing around in the wind on a different day.
Venturing outside onto the mountain to track the system Friday, Francis Tarasiewicz, a staff meteorologist at the Mount Washington Observatory, encountered wind that sounded like a roaring freight train. “There were pieces of ice flying around, lots of ducking and dodging,” he said. “I had a tiny, millimeter-wide area of skin exposure, and it felt like a bee sting.”
His Twitter is fairly entertaining too with some videos of the onsite meteorologists playing around in the wind on a different day.
For more meteorologists messing around in the wind on Mt Washington, here's the classic "Breakfast of Champions" of a guy trying to serve breakfast at the summit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J37u_usbJHc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J37u_usbJHc
This is brilliant comedy, thank you so much for sharing!
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Mt. Washington is a spicy place.
The first regular meteorological observations on Mount Washington were conducted by the U.S. Signal Service, a precursor of the National Weather Service, 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. For many years, the record low temperature was thought to be −47 °F (−43.9 °C) occurring on January 29, 1934, but upon the first in-depth examination of the data from the 19th century at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, a new record low was discovered. Mount Washington's official record low of −50 °F (−45.6 °C) was recorded on January 22, 1885. The official record low daily maximum is −28 °F (−33.3 °C) on February 6, 1995.[18] Highs of 0 °F (−18 °C) or below occur on 13 days annually, while lows at or below 0 °F can be expected from November 17 through April 1; from December to March, temperatures rise above freezing on only 15 days.
“Not Without Peril” makes for some harrowing reading. https://amcstore.outdoors.org/products/not-without-peril-ten...
“From the days when gentlefolk ascended in hoop skirts and wool suits to today's high-tech assaults on wintry summits, this book offers extensive and intimate profiles of people who found trouble on New Hampshire's Presidential Range, from the nineteenth century through the present day.“
The first regular meteorological observations on Mount Washington were conducted by the U.S. Signal Service, a precursor of the National Weather Service, 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. For many years, the record low temperature was thought to be −47 °F (−43.9 °C) occurring on January 29, 1934, but upon the first in-depth examination of the data from the 19th century at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, a new record low was discovered. Mount Washington's official record low of −50 °F (−45.6 °C) was recorded on January 22, 1885. The official record low daily maximum is −28 °F (−33.3 °C) on February 6, 1995.[18] Highs of 0 °F (−18 °C) or below occur on 13 days annually, while lows at or below 0 °F can be expected from November 17 through April 1; from December to March, temperatures rise above freezing on only 15 days.
“Not Without Peril” makes for some harrowing reading. https://amcstore.outdoors.org/products/not-without-peril-ten...
“From the days when gentlefolk ascended in hoop skirts and wool suits to today's high-tech assaults on wintry summits, this book offers extensive and intimate profiles of people who found trouble on New Hampshire's Presidential Range, from the nineteenth century through the present day.“
The AMC clubs around Mt Washington like the Joe Dodge Lodge and Hermit Lake are amazing. I stayed at the lodge and skied up to Tuckerman Ravine recently. The history just on the walls and in the library is incredible, wild to see photos from 70 years ago with more folks skiing Tucks than than there are even today. Also the hospitality and meals are great
Disclaimer: unless I'm remembering wrong, you need Avalanche training to ski Tuckerman Ravine. One of the few places in the Northeast where that's necessary!
You don't need it. No one is checking. In the spring, it's pretty safe. Definitely want avalanche gear and training if you go in the middle of winter though.
Amanoosuc ravine on the other side of My Washington is another place you face avalanches. An experienced Backcountry skier died there a few years ago after being buried under 13 feet of snow during an avalanche.
Kings ravine on Adams and a few other places in the White Mountains are also known for high risk avalanches.
Amanoosuc ravine on the other side of My Washington is another place you face avalanches. An experienced Backcountry skier died there a few years ago after being buried under 13 feet of snow during an avalanche.
Kings ravine on Adams and a few other places in the White Mountains are also known for high risk avalanches.
The hut at the top is (wo)manned at all times. They make some pretty fun videos from time to time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE3CfSCt7fg (this "breakfast" video is my favorite, but they have a lot of fun with the resident cat as well).
What is it about Mount Washington that makes its weather so violently dynamic?
Mount Washington sits at the end of a long, wide east-west running valley, in an area with predominantly western winds. This gives the wind an unusually long "fetch" to build strength over.
That, combined with the orographic lift as the air flows over the mountain, leads to unusually strong winds.
That, combined with the orographic lift as the air flows over the mountain, leads to unusually strong winds.
Apparently three major air streams pass right over the northeast, and it's the highest point (by a fair margin) east of the Mississippi. So it essentially gets a direct "hit" of speedy air that's been uninterrupted for thousands of miles, from multiple angles.
> highest point (by a fair margin) east of the Mississippi.
That's Mount Mitchell--6684 ft versus Washington's 6288 ft. Washington is slightly more prominent than Mitchell (6148 versus 6089).
That's Mount Mitchell--6684 ft versus Washington's 6288 ft. Washington is slightly more prominent than Mitchell (6148 versus 6089).
Sorry, my mistake! Thank you for correcting this.
Mt Mitchell in North Carolina is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Mt. Washington is the most prominent.
Exposure. There are 75mph+ winds at the top pretty much constantly and it’s the highest point around especially facing northwest
-77.7 ºC, for those wondering.
I live less than an hour from My Washington and frequently hike and ski in the white mountains and the presidential range. It's an amazing place. The mountains are nothing compared simply to the Rockies, Sierra Nevadas or Chugach ranges. But they have some unique geology and weather pattern combination that makes them more interesting and deadlier than their height would indicate.
I had one overnight trip on a sub range where I was trying to cross an exposed ridge that has a 600 foot drop on one side. The wind was so strong that I couldn't move forward without going an equal distance sideways. This was on a balmy 70 degree day in the Summer.
Love that my little local tiny range still has the "worst weather on earth"
I had one overnight trip on a sub range where I was trying to cross an exposed ridge that has a 600 foot drop on one side. The wind was so strong that I couldn't move forward without going an equal distance sideways. This was on a balmy 70 degree day in the Summer.
Love that my little local tiny range still has the "worst weather on earth"
[deleted]
I mentioned this in the other thread and it seemed to make sense with people:
The actual temperature was -46°F, basically meaning that an exposed object will chill to -46°F as fast as if the outdoor temperature was -108°F in still air.
But nothing ever reaches far below the -46°F actually.
It just gets there real quick because the wind removes so much heat so much faster.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34656158
The actual temperature was -46°F, basically meaning that an exposed object will chill to -46°F as fast as if the outdoor temperature was -108°F in still air.
But nothing ever reaches far below the -46°F actually.
It just gets there real quick because the wind removes so much heat so much faster.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34656158
I’m confused. We’ve recorded real temperatures well under this -108 wind chill value. Are we saying this is the lowest recorded wind chill because we didn’t technically “record” the wind chill when we’ve measured those even lower real temperature values?
It’s the lowest ever recorded in the US, as this WaPo article makes clear: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/02/04/northeast-...
Ah, thanks. The Times story seems to have missed that detail.
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I think it's not only the lowest for the US but specifically for Mt Washington. At least, that's what I got from the title.
Coldest recorded wind chill in the US.
-101°F Wind chill is legit brisk.
Isn't this fairly typical in Canadia and Alaska?
Edit: Thanks everyone, I've come to assume Alaskan and Canadian winters are extreme. It appears to be slightly less so than I realized.
Edit: Thanks everyone, I've come to assume Alaskan and Canadian winters are extreme. It appears to be slightly less so than I realized.
When it’s really really cold it is usually very calm winds. This lets the cold air pool near the ground. It’s unusual to have really extreme cold and high wind.
This story is a little weird bc the coldest temp ever recorded is -128.6 on the Vostok ice sheet in Antarctic which is well below the wind chill.
I also remember reading the book minus 148 about the first winter ascent of Denali in Alaska. The book is named after the coldest temp on the wind chill chart bc those guys survived in conditions that were literally off the chart. If I recall it was -50 to -60 and blowing 100 mph.
Seems like some slightly sensational writing by NYT. I’d maybe accept it if they said lowest wind chill in lower 48
This story is a little weird bc the coldest temp ever recorded is -128.6 on the Vostok ice sheet in Antarctic which is well below the wind chill.
I also remember reading the book minus 148 about the first winter ascent of Denali in Alaska. The book is named after the coldest temp on the wind chill chart bc those guys survived in conditions that were literally off the chart. If I recall it was -50 to -60 and blowing 100 mph.
Seems like some slightly sensational writing by NYT. I’d maybe accept it if they said lowest wind chill in lower 48
Not really.
Check the data at [0] 04-Feb-2023 03:49h. Temperature is -47°F and wind is 89mph sustained, wind chill is -108°F. Gusts earlier and later were well over 100mph.
The tropopause actually dipped down below the summit, so these were actual stratospheric conditions.
Sure, there's wind, and there's cold, but not usually in these combinations. Fun times (if you've got the shelter and gear).
[0] https://w1.weather.gov/obhistory/KMWN.html
Check the data at [0] 04-Feb-2023 03:49h. Temperature is -47°F and wind is 89mph sustained, wind chill is -108°F. Gusts earlier and later were well over 100mph.
The tropopause actually dipped down below the summit, so these were actual stratospheric conditions.
Sure, there's wind, and there's cold, but not usually in these combinations. Fun times (if you've got the shelter and gear).
[0] https://w1.weather.gov/obhistory/KMWN.html
A windchill of just under 78°C is *not* common anywhere I'm aware of in Canada. There are usually a handful of days each year in places like Fort McMurray that will hit windchill values in the -40-60° range, otherwise most of the population won't experience anything colder than -30° on the coldest of days. Here in SW Ontario we just had a couple days touching -20° windchill on -13° real temperature, and those will probably end up being the coldest days of the season/year.
Maybe if you accidentally open a car window while doing 70mph through an alaskan winter. Such wind speeds are not normal.
When not on mountain tops, weather below -30 (c or f) generally results in calmer winds. Below -40 most weather stops. So epic windchill is actually rather rare. (It hits -40c regularly where i am, with occasional trips towards -50.)
When not on mountain tops, weather below -30 (c or f) generally results in calmer winds. Below -40 most weather stops. So epic windchill is actually rather rare. (It hits -40c regularly where i am, with occasional trips towards -50.)
There was an extreme wind chill at the Quintette mine at Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia in the 1980s that was in this neighbourhood (I was told -113F by my father). There's no official recording, because there was no Environment Canada weather station up at the Mesa pit.
I worked there in the 90s and experienced extreme cold (-53C), but not the wind chill. Astounding bit of trivia: I forgot to plug in my truck and it started. Also, if you've never driven in those conditions, your tires freeze with a flat side and it takes a while to work the bump out of them.
I worked there in the 90s and experienced extreme cold (-53C), but not the wind chill. Astounding bit of trivia: I forgot to plug in my truck and it started. Also, if you've never driven in those conditions, your tires freeze with a flat side and it takes a while to work the bump out of them.
I lived about an hour north of Montreal, where the temperatures are always colder than in the city. I remember my eyelashes frosting and wearing a snowsuit to walk 15 minutes to work. Frostbite is a yearly danger and windchill is taken seriously.
https://news.yahoo.com/threat-50-wind-chills-across-13304775...
https://news.yahoo.com/threat-50-wind-chills-across-13304775...
Alaska sometimes gets wind chills that low, but I don't think it's typical. A quick websearch for Alaskan windchill records didn't turn up anything conclusive but a few results suggesting record-setting chills of -97 F and other claims in that neighborhood.
Fun fact: the Antarctican interior sometimes gets cold enough to freeze CO2 (if the CO2 were at 1 atmosphere of partial pressure, which it isn't in air.)
Fun fact: the Antarctican interior sometimes gets cold enough to freeze CO2 (if the CO2 were at 1 atmosphere of partial pressure, which it isn't in air.)
While most of Canada doesn't get weather this cold or wind this high, producing such a low wind chill, most of Canada is not at 6,000 feet either. Perhaps colder weather has occurred on top of the Rocky Mountains.
[deleted]
Back in the 1970s, I climbed Mount Washington.
In a pair of loafers (my hiking boots were full of mud).
I still have the scar on my ankle.
The weather at the top was ... invigorating ...
I remember the horizontal rain, with my right side, bone dry, and my left side, drenched.
In a pair of loafers (my hiking boots were full of mud).
I still have the scar on my ankle.
The weather at the top was ... invigorating ...
I remember the horizontal rain, with my right side, bone dry, and my left side, drenched.
Looks apocalyptic hah:
https://twitter.com/nwscle/status/1621632916064436225
https://twitter.com/nwscle/status/1621632916064436225
Honestly, just use Celsius, USA, USA!!!
save you a click:
> Mount Washington set a record for coldest wind chill ever recorded at minus 108 degrees.
> The air temperatures at the region’s highest peak went as low as minus 47 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
> Mount Washington set a record for coldest wind chill ever recorded at minus 108 degrees.
> The air temperatures at the region’s highest peak went as low as minus 47 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34651786