The Mount Washington Observatory, perched atop the Northeast’s highest peak, celebrated its 90th anniversary this month with a series of special events honoring its legacy of recording some of the most extreme weather conditions on Earth.
Established in 1932, the observatory has maintained a continuous human presence at the 6,288-foot summit, where scientists have documented the mountain’s notorious weather, including a wind gust of 231 mph recorded in April 1934 — a world record that stood for over 60 years.
“Mount Washington has served as an invaluable natural laboratory for understanding extreme alpine conditions,” said Dr. Samantha Reynolds, the observatory’s current director. “The data collected here has contributed significantly to our understanding of climate science and weather forecasting.”
The anniversary celebration included guided tours of the facility, educational workshops on meteorology, and a gala dinner featuring former staff members sharing stories of winters spent at the summit, where temperatures can plummet below -40°F and hurricane-force winds blow over 100 days per year.
The observatory has evolved from its humble beginnings when observers used basic instruments and communicated via Morse code to today’s sophisticated monitoring equipment and live webcams that provide real-time data to meteorologists worldwide.
“What hasn’t changed is the dedication of our observers, who still maintain the tradition of taking hourly weather readings and conducting research in one of North America’s most challenging environments,” Reynolds noted.
Local resident Mark Peterson, who has hiked to the summit numerous times, attended the celebration. “The observatory is a New Hampshire treasure. My grandfather used to tell me stories about the ‘men of the mountain’ who’d stay up there all winter. It’s amazing to think they’ve been doing this work for nearly a century.”
The observatory also unveiled plans for modernizing its facilities while preserving its historic mission of weather observation, climate research, and public education about mountain meteorology.
“As climate change alters weather patterns worldwide, the long-term data collected here becomes increasingly valuable,” Reynolds said. “We’re committed to maintaining this scientific legacy for future generations.”
