Mount Washington’s Extreme Weather Mystery (w music)

How can a relatively small mountain have some of the worst weather on Earth? Mount Washington

sits in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, rising just over 6,000 feet. But geography makes

it extreme — three major ridgelines funnel wind directly toward the peak. It also sits directly

beneath the jet stream, accelerating already powerful winds. In 1934,

scientists here recorded a wind speed of 231 miles per hour. That’s stronger

than winds inside many major hurricanes. Cold air, moisture, and wind combine

to coat the summit in thick rime ice. Early observatory crews were often trapped for days

by snow and ice. Weather here can shift from calm to deadly in minutes. Because storms arrive