Among the Clouds: Work, Wit & Wild Weather at the Mount Washington Observatory

by Eric Pinder, Mish Michaels (Foreword)

A flying chunk of ice the size of a baseball whacks an unsuspecting mountaineer on the head. A bored raven steals food from foxes and goes tobogganing on the snow. Eccentric meteorologists build a snowman in June, commute home by sled, and witness hurricane-force winds twelve months out of the year. Where is all of this happening? The answer is only at the 6288-foot-high Mount Washington Observatory, perched amongst the clouds in New Hampshire's White Mountains. A record-breaking 231-mph gust of wind shrieked across the summit in 1934, earning the mountain its "Home of the World's Worst Weather." A few hardy souls live at the Observatory year-round, enduring savage thunderstorms, twenty-foot snowdrifts, blinding fog, and odd questions from visitors ("Can you see New Hampshire from here?"). Discover what a meteorologist's typical day is like in the harsh but spectacular world above timberline. Come meet Nin the Cat, Marty on the Mountain, tobogganing ravens, hapless hikers, and meandering moose. These humorous and informative stories about life on a mountaintop are sure to appeal to hikers and weather aficionados alike. Foreword by meteorologist Mish Michaels.

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Eric Pinder lives in rural New Hampshire, where he enjoys the outdoors and sometimes shares the nearest wild blueberry patch with a foraging bear. His books for children include If All the Animals Came Inside and Cat in the Clouds. He teaches creative writing at the new Hampshire Institute of Art and earned his M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Reviews

[Christopher Obert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another great book by Eric Pinder revealing the workings of the Mount Washington Observatory and the World’s Worst Weather! Eric has a great story telling ability making you feel welcome on the 6,288-foot summit. I particularly liked the last chapter detailing the day in the life of an observatory meteorologist. As the book’s title states, there is work, wit & wild weather… among the clouds!