Mount Washington Observatory

PURPOSE: FUNDING TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROJECTS AT THE MOUNT WASHINGTON OBSERVATORY (MWOBS) IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, INCLUDING UPGRADES TO THE MOUNT WASHINGTON REGIONAL MESONET (MWRM), THAT WILL ENABLE INCREASED RESEARCH AND VISITATION. THIS IS A CONGRESSIONALLY-DIRECTED SPECIAL COMMUNITY PROJECT REQUESTED BY SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN AND IDENTIFIED IN THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024 (P.L. 118-42), SIGNED INTO LAW ON MARCH 9, 2024. MESONETS ARE INTERCONNECTED NETWORKS OF INSTRUMENTED ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING STATIONS ACROSS AN ENTIRE STATE, OR A SMALL FOOTPRINT OF A STATE/REGION. THE MWRM CONSISTS OF 19 AUTOMATED WEATHER STATIONS AND COLLECT REAL-TIME DATA ON WEATHER CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR METEOROLOGICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL RESEARCH. THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PROVIDED WILL SUPPORT UPGRADES TO THE EXISTING STATIONS AND ALLOW FOR EXPANSION OF THE MWRM TO ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS REGION. THE OUTLAY WILL ALSO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF A NEW SNOWCAT TO ENSURE WINTERTIME CONTINUITY AND OF A 3D SCANNING DOPPLER WIND LIDAR FOR RESEARCH. THE OUTLAY WILL ALSO SUPPORT UPGRADES TO EXISTING RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION, A CONSULTANT TO DESIGN SOFTWARE THAT WOULD AUTOMATE ERROR CHECKING OF OBSERVATIONAL REPORTS, THE SET-UP OF A BROADCASTING STUDIO TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION, AND DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PORTAL FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO MWOBS'S HISTORIC WEATHER AND CLIMATE DATA.

THE OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) SEEKS TO: 1. ATTRACT STUDENTS TO STEM THROUGH UNIQUE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SPARK INTEREST AND PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO NASAS MISSION AND WORK 2. ENGAGE STUDENTS IN AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITH NASAS P

MT.WASHINGTON OBSERVATORY EDUCATION OUTREACH EXPANSION: CONNECTING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS WITH ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST EXTREME PLACES