Forecast for the Whites?

[spaddock]

I was thinking about heading over to The Whites for some holiday hiking but I'm getting a little scared off by the forecast, freezing rain...

Driving in it will be bad enough... Has it started already? Is it snowing a little higher up? I'll hike in just about any weather but freezing rain is usually just plain miserable.

Thanks in advance for the info.


-Shayne

 

[w7xman]

Hey shayne,

The forecast is not looking good, that's for sure. Temps tomorrow are progged to rise into the 30's on Mt. Washington, with perhaps a colder layer farther down initially before everyone is above freezing. Until MWASH is above freezing, it will be freezing rain though!

A dry slot could set up for part of this storm, but ultimately looks like late tonight snow to mix to rain on the summits, and mix to rain on the lower trails.

Follow this link to the Mount Washington Observatory's summits outlook, the discussion is usally geared to hikers, and it's out at 430AM:

http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/mountains.html

~w7x

 

[weatherman]

yeah, real bummer for the next few days... I was looking forward to getting out in the Dacks this weekend but even there it's probably going to be fairly nasty. The cold air is really confined pretty far north, like north of 50N. Asia is the place to be for snow this week! Next week things may improve somewhat as the pattern is supposed to continue to be moist but may (maybe) have more seasonal temps. We were spoiled the first half of this month!

I hate dry slots, except when they happen when it's too warm to snow.

BTW, listen to w7xman... he's a met... I'm not really, just a reasonable facsimile.

-Weatherman

 

[Mike P.]

Crappy weather means I'm heading to Whites again. Leaving Hartford around noon Thursday. Was planning on going up Ammo, will see Friday AM, maybe on Willey range instead.

This year in NH:
February S. Carter during President's Day weekend storm 2/21/05
April miserable rain on Kinsmans - Did see Frodo (4/23)
May overall a good day but did sprinkle on Bob Chomp & me descending East Osceola (5/28)
June 40 minute T-storm while bewteen Washington summit & LOC 6/11
Did Monadnock on a good day in Sept after being in TN, NY & ME in July & August
October , was on Whiteface & Passaconaway on Saturday of NH flooding
November, Farmer Bob Anomoly, fair to less than fair day turned out nice.

In TN did LeConte the Day Dennis was in TN & downgraded to a tropical storm, center a couple of 100 miles west but still pretty windy & rainy

I can let everyone know my 2006 schedule so you can plan around it....

 

[weatherman]

I think we're all in the same boat (literally), Mike... Concord NH just reported its all time annual record for rainfall was broken in 2005 with over 56 inches (and more to come today!). My son's first 3K was this summer with me on Monadnock, in a downpour. Now he knows how I got my trail name. But there was no one else on top when we got there, and he liked it anyway...

-Weatherman

 

[w7xman]

Temps this morning...

21 in Berlin
40 at Wildcat's base
29 at MWO

Looks like a good freezing rain set up for the morning hours atleast...

 

[Mike P.]

light rain in CT at this point, a bunch over the Cape at 7:00 but until low passes to east we are on warm side & plenty of awarm air ahead of heavy rain, early on might be freezing rain but I think it will warm quickly.

NECN has Aroostook county getting big ice storm.

Drive Friday should be interesting....

 

[Jim lombard]

Higher Summits forecast

From the Mt Washington Obs Higher summits forecast: here

Tomorrow looks very nasty for any above treeline stuff

In the clouds with snow showers likely. Blowing snow and below zero wind chill values developing.
Highs: Falling into the mid to upper teens °F
Wind: NW 60 to 80 mph with higher gusts

 

[Mike P.]

And this is why I'm Willey range bound tomorrow instead of Presidential bound.
should still be brisk on the ridge....

 

[Jim lombard]

Enjoy Mike,
I love the Willey range in winter, nicely protected, Tom is a little exposed but what a beautiful walk over to Field and Willey.