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Mount Washington (formerly Agiocochook), at 6,288 ft. (1916.6 m), is the highest peak in the American Northeast. It is famous for its dangerously erratic weather, holding the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, at 231 mph (372 km/h) on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. It is located in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, and in Coos County, New Hampshire. While nearly the whole mountain is in the White Mountain National Forest, an area of 59 acres (within a radius of approximately a quarter mile), above 5,500 feet (1690 m) and including the summit, is the whole of Mount Washington State Park. Washington is the third highest state high point in the eastern U.S., after Mount Mitchell, North Carolina (6,684 ft; 2,038 m) and Clingmans Dome, Tennessee (6,643 ft; 2,025 m).
History The first known ascent of Mt. Washington was in 1642 by Darby Field (actually, an alpine meadow on the mountain was named after Field, as a play on words). There was little activity there until the middle of the 19th century when it was developed as one of the first intentional tourist destinations in the country with the construction of bridle paths and several summit hotels including the Tip Top House, which is still standing and was recently renovated as a historical exhibit. Other tourist construction in the 19th century included a stagecoach road - now the Mount Washington Auto Road - and the Mount Washington Cog Railway (1869), both of which are still used. Weather tower in rime with blue sky.JPG|right|thumb|The http://www.mountwashington.org Mount Washington Observatory is a member-supported non-profit organization that has been recording weather and climate data since 1932. Mount Washington has notoriously erratic weather. This is partly due to the convergence of several storm tracks, mainly from the South Atlantic, Gulf region and Pacific Northwest. The vertical rise of the Presidential range, combined with its north-south orientation, makes it a significant barrier to westerly winds. Low-pressure systems are more favorable to develop along the coastline in the winter months due to the relative temperature differences between the Northeast and the Atlantic Ocean. With these factors combined, winds exceeding hurricane force occur an average of 110 days per year. From November to April, these strong winds are likely to occur during two-thirds of the days. Mount Washington holds the record for directly measured surface wind speed, at 231 mph (372 km/h), recorded on the afternoon of April 12, 1934. Phenomena measured via satellite or radar, such as tornados, hurricanes, and air currents in the upper atmosphere, are not directly measured at the Earth's surface and do not compete with this record, although a tornado or hurricane would qualify if it was directly and accurately measured. Mount Washington's record low of −47 °F (−44 °C) was recorded on January 29, 1934. Snowstorms at the summit are routine in every month of the year, with snowfall averaging 645 cm (21 feet) per year. The primary summit building was designed to withstand 300 mph (480 km/h) winds; other structures are literally chained to the mountain. In addition to a number of broadcast towers, the mountain is the site of a non-profit scientific observatory reporting the weather as well as other aspects of the sub-arctic climate of the mountain. The extreme environment at the top of Mount Washington makes using unmanned equipment problematic. The observatory also conducts research, primarily the testing of new weather measurement devices. The Sherman Adams summit building, which houses the Observatory, is closed to the public during the winter and hikers are not allowed inside the building, except for emergencies and pre-arranged, guided tours. The Observatory's weather data have accumulated into a valuable climate record since 1932, the year of its founding. Temperature and humidity readings have been collected using a sling psychrometer, a simple device containing two mercury thermometers. Where most unstaffed weather stations have undergone technology upgrades, consistent use of the sling psychrometer has helped provide scientific precision to the Mount Washington climate record. Uses The mountain is part of a popular hiking area, with the Appalachian Trail crossing the summit and one of the Appalachian Mountain Club's eight alpine huts, Lakes of the Clouds Hut, located on one of the mountain's shoulders. Winter recreation includes Tuckerman Ravine, famous (despite the lack of ski lifts and artificial snow) for its Memorial Day skiing and its 45-degree slopes. It is notorious for its avalanches, of which about 100 are recorded every year, and which have killed several people since 1849. Numerous hikers have died on the mountain, in all seasons, due to inadequate equipment, the difficulty of judging the weather high on the mountain from lower altitudes, and poor decisions once the weather began to turn dangerous. Every year in June, the mountain is host to the Mt. Washington Road Race, an event which attracts hundreds of runners. See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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