The Worst Weather on Earth

Book excerpt: "There may be worse weather, from time to time, at some forbidding place on Planet Earth, but it has yet to be reliably recorded." So begins The Worst Weather on Earth: A History of the Mount Washington Observatory. Mount Washington, at 6,288 feet above sea level, is one of the highest elevations in the eastern United States and is subject to some of the fiercest weather patterns in the world. Situated close to major centers of population, it has been an accessible objective for travellers. The curious, the intrepid, the scientific -- Mount Washington has attracted them all. In this age of satellites and advanced instrumentation, the intricacies of weather observation are now taken for granted. However, not so long ago, weather was a blank on the scientific map of understanding. The Worst Weather on Earth chronicles the social and scientific milieu of those who have recorded the weather on the mountain for over one hundred years. Included are chapters such as "Radio on the Rockpile," which covers the pioneering days of radio broadcasting from the Summit, and "Rime and Reason," which presents a fascinating discussion of rime and the problems of icing that were researched extensively on the Summit. The Worst Weather on Earth is rendered more immediate by the liberal use of contemporary accounts; excerpts from letters, reports, and the log notes of the Summit observers abound, giving the flavor and the excitement of over a century of scientific observation and discovery.