New England Mountain Icing Climatology
Abstract
Statistics and weather maps are used to compare the atmospheric icing climatology of two New England mountains: Mount Mansfield in northern Vermont and Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Atmospheric icing, as measured with Rosemount ice detectors, is twice as frequent on Mount Washington, with about 12-20 times greater intensities and 25-50 times more accretion. Periods between icing events average 35-45 hours on the two peaks. Most Mount Mansfield icing events are of low intensity. Plots indicate the return probabilities of ice events by length, intensity and accretion magnitude. Approximately half of all severe icing on the two peaks occurs during and immediately after cold front passages. Icing is most intense when lows are about 450 km to the east of the mountains. High-pressure centers are never closer than about 450 km during intense icing. Prolonged accretion periods occur when coastal and inland storms merge or follow closely.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA200287
Entities
People
- Charles C. Ryerson
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory