The Worst Weather in the World

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Michael D. Lemonick on Mount Washington.

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Still, you wouldn't think my companions knew any of this. In between our tutorials, just about everyone wanted to get outside, as often and for as long as possible. The biggest thrill by far: on Saturday night, the whole group trooped up a metal spiral staircase, then up two ladders and out onto the balcony of the observatory tower, where many of the weather instruments are located. The temperature at that point was --16°, and the winds were at about 60 m.p.h., gusting to nearly 90.

As snowflakes sandblasted us at hurricane force, we had to grab the railings to keep from being knocked over. "Isn't it great?" shouted Deb Burch, a science teacher in Andover, Mass., who graded papers between lectures and excursions. Then my hood blew off, and, figuring I had about 30 seconds before frostbite set in, I ducked back inside. None of the hearty folks still outside made a move to follow.