Exploring Temperature Changes on Mount Washington

Scientific concepts & nature phenomena presented

• Altitude vs. temperature (“vertical summit profile”): Measuring how air temperature changes from the base to the summit of Mount Washington using weather stations at intervals.
• Wind-driven cooling at high elevation:
  • At the summit, conditions are described as colder than the measured value due to wind exposure.
  • Anemometer measurements are referenced (wind speeds around 25 mph, possibly 30 mph).
• Microclimate variation with elevation: Temperatures are compared across multiple elevations, showing a steady decline with height.

Measurements / methodology (interval sampling)

• Starting point: Base at ~1,600 ft → 62.4°F
• Stop 1: 2,300 ft → 61.5°F
• Stop 2: 3,300 ft → 59.3°F
• Stop 3: 4,000 ft → 56.9°F
• Summit comparison:
  • Observation deck on the summit → 46.7°F
  • Stated difference: about 16°F colder at the summit than at the base

Instrumentation / data sources

• Mesonet weather stations placed every ~1,000 ft
• Additional reference to temperature profiles available on mountwashington.org for:
  • East side (auto road)
  • West side (Cog railway)

Notable practical takeaway linked to the science

• Layering is critical because wind speed increases with elevation, and wind chill/cooling effects can make conditions feel colder than air temperature alone suggests.

Researchers or sources featured

• Mount Washington Mesonet / Mesonet weather stations (as an organized measurement network)
• mountwashington.org (data repository referenced)
• Seek the Peak (mentioned as a fundraising/partner context; not a scientific study source)
• Terracea (partner mentioned; not a scientific researcher)
• Terramar / Intierra Sea (brand/partner mentions)