Washington
RI native found his calling 6,000 feet above home at the Mount Washington Observatory
Mountain man: Westerly native Jay Broccolo finds his calling as director of weather operations at the Mount Washington Observatory
University of Rhode Island graduate Jay Broccolo’s office may offer the best view in New England, but it comes at a high price – temperatures that can plummet to 47 degrees below zero and winds that can gust over 200 mph.
Broccolo, who grew up in Westerly, where the highest point is 249 feet, works as the director of weather operations at the Mount Washington Observatory, on the highest mountain peak in the Northeast, at 6,288 feet.
“We all like to call it the best office view in New England,” Broccolo, 36, said in a recent interview.
On a clear day, the view stretches more than 100 miles across Vermont and into New York and across Maine to Casco Bay. On clear nights, the lights of Montreal are visible, as is the Milky Way.
But it’s often not clear, and sometimes the view doesn’t reach beyond an outstretched hand. Snow at the summit has been recorded every month of the year, and Mount Washington holds the record for wind speed recorded by a human observer, 231 mph, in 1934.
“I love my job,” Broccolo said without a hint of irony.
He loves big weather events and is disappointed when he misses out, as he did last winter when the temperature at the summit dropped to 47 degrees below zero and the wind blew in excess of 100 mph, creating a wind chill of 109 below and setting a new U.S. record.
“I wasn’t up there, unfortunately,” he said.
On a happier note, he was at the summit when the temperature plummeted to 33 degrees below, the wind gusted to 108 mph, and the wind chill dropped to 90 below.
Operating since 1932, the Mount Washington Observatory, a private, nonprofit institution, records weather on the mountain peak, provides information for the National Weather Service and also produces a twice-daily forecast for the mountain area.
The observatory is a “member-supported institution with a mission to advance understanding of the natural systems that create Earth’s weather and climate,” the observatory says on its website. “It serves this mission by maintaining a weather station on the summit of Mount Washington, performing weather and climate research, conducting innovative science education programs, and interpreting the heritage of the Mount Washington region.”
More: NOAA releases winter weather prediction for Rhode Island. What to know.
“We’re like a permanent weather balloon,” Broccolo added.
That “weather balloon” has generated a detailed recording of extremes and trends for nearly a century.
“In our 90-year history, we’ve seen the winter season shorten by two to three weeks,” Broccolo said.
On a brighter note, the view from the summit extends farther than it once did, a sign of less air pollution, thanks to the Clean Air Act, he said.
Broccolo’s path to Mount Washington was far from simple
Broccolo’s path to the Mount Washington Observatory was as winding as the auto road that leads to the great mountain’s summit. As a kid, Broccolo always loved big storms, “the adrenaline rush” and the way they brought everyone together. His only disappointment: Westerly seldom got snow, since it’s so close to the ocean.
“I’ve always wondered why the Earth is the way it is,” he said. “Why is that cloud there? Why is that mountain there?”
A former Boy Scout and Eagle Scout, Broccolo graduated from Westerly High School and then URI, where he studied geology and geologic oceanography.
After URI, Broccolo worked for several years on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico before doing an internship at Mount Rainier National Park. He worked for a while at a Rhode Island engineering firm and went to England for graduate school to study atmospheric science.
Broccolo started his employment at the observatory more than five years ago, working first as a weather observer before taking on his current post as director of weather operations about a year and a half ago.
Like other weather observers, Broccolo would spend a week at a time living at the summit, often driving a Sno-Cat, a truck-sized track vehicle, to and from work because the auto road was impassible by car or truck.
To make observations and tend to the equipment, which can ice over quickly, weather observers venture out of their shelter once an hour and spend five or 10 minutes gathering information on factors such as temperature, wind speed, barometric pressure, visibility and precipitation type.
Sometimes the wind is so strong “it will suck the air out of your lungs,” he said, and will “definitely blow you over and continue to blow you over.”
Exposed skin gets frostbite within minutes, so weather observers must dress in multiple layers.
“I’d say the most annoying thing is getting into your gear and getting out of your gear and getting into your gear and getting out of your gear,” Broccolo said.
For Broccolo, the move from Southern to Northern New England seems like the right fit. When he’s not working, he enjoys hiking in the mountains, camping, snowboarding and skiing.
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But he has strong ties to Rhode Island. His parents, Joe and Gail, still live in Westerly. Broccolo remains a volunteer firefighter in town, and he plans to return to Rhode Island for Thanksgiving and catch the Westerly-Stonington football game.
With his switch from weather observer to director of weather operations, Broccolo doesn’t spend as much time on Mount Washington as he once did. He often works at the observatory’s administrative offices in North Conway or sometimes at home in Jackson. On occasion, he has to hit the road, as he did earlier this month, making presentations in Washington, D.C., and meeting with New Hampshire Sen. Jean Shaheen and her staff.
But he returns to the summit whenever he has the chance.
“I definitely try,” he said, “to be on the summit during all the storms.”
Washington
This Washington city has one of the most Instagram worthy commutes in the US, report says
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Hey, at least the drive to work is pretty.
Vancouver in Southwest Washington has the “most scenic” commute on the West Coast and the third most attractive drive to work in the United States, according to a new report from Sixt, a mobility services company that works in such fields as car rentals and ride hailing.
The company drew on U.S. Census Bureau data to determine the average commute times for more than 550 communities nationwide, then identified the cities with the most scenic, affordable, and efficient commutes. Scenic-commute rankings were determined by factoring in the number of state parks close by, the number of public parks, social media posts, and commuter satisfaction, according to the report.
Vancouver residents spend about 23 minutes daily on their commutes, and the city “boasts 345,000 Instagram hashtags focused on its scenery, a perfect park rating, and three state parks close by — making the city a haven for nature lovers,” the Sixt report states.
The only other city on the West Coast that ranked in the company’s top 10 places with the most scenic commutes was the California college town of Davis, outside Sacramento. Davis ranked seventh in the country.
Which city has the most scenic commute in the country?
Clearwater, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, has the most scenic commute in the country, according to Sixt. Residents in Clearwater spend an average of 23 minutes commuting per day, the report said.
“This Florida gem boasts 343,000 Instagram hashtags dedicated to the city’s beauty, a perfect park rating, and three state parks nearby, it’s no shock that this seaside city comes out on top,” the report states. “With the Causeway Byway stretching nearly two miles across Clearwater Bay, offering panoramic views of the sea, it’s safe to say that locals look forward to their daily commutes.”
The top 10 cities with the most picturesque commutes in the US
According to Sixt, these are the cities with the most scenic commutes in the country:
- Clearwater, Florida
- Ocean City, Maryland
- Vancouver, Washington
- Wilmington, Delaware
- West Palm Beach, Florida
- Burlington, Vermont
- Davis, California
- Newark Delaware
- Pleasant View, Utah
- White, Utah
Washington
Third time's the charm for Port Washington boys lacrosse in Nassau Class A semifinal win over Farmingdale
Farmingdale ended Port Washington’s season in the Nassau Class A boys lacrosse final two seasons ago and then again in the semifinals last season.
This time, the third-seeded Vikings were the ones making a happy sprint toward their goalie, Max Eynon, at the end. They ousted the second-seeded, two-time defending county and Long Island champion Dalers, 9-5, in the semis Wednesday night at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.
“They sent us home the last two years, and we just wanted this one so bad,” Eynon said. “We’re not done yet and we just want to keep going.”
The sophomore made eight saves. Christian Sarchese and Harry Eynon, Max’s brother, each scored three times and Will Ahmuty delivered four assists.
So Port Washington (15-3) will face top-seeded Massapequa for the title at 3 p.m. Saturday at Shuart.
“We definitely think we’re going to win it,” Max said.
Farmingdale (10-8) lost despite three goals and one assist from Sean Schumeyer and 10 saves from Matt Hughes.
“Listen, there’s plenty of years where we didn’t win the championship,” Dalers coach Eric Dunne said. “There’s a lot of young guys returning for next year. There’s a lot of lessons for them to learn.”
Massapequa, which beat Port Washington, 9-7, on April 25, will play a team that has yielded six goals or less 15 times.
“It starts from the attack,” Vikings coach Glenn Lavey said. “Our riding again was excellent. I think our middies get back and make it six-on-six. Then once we’re in the box, we have really good players and a really good goalie.”
Lavey had been saying since the Dalers defeated Port Washington, 8-6, on May 9 that Sarchese was going to be the difference the next time they played.
“He made the prophecy come true,” Lavey said.
Farmingdale cut it to 6-4 with 9:48 left.
Then Ahmuty made a great pickup by the left of the cage and sent the ball out to Sarchese. The senior scored his third, and the margin never got closer than three from there.
“The momentum started to shift away,” Sarchese said. “They started crawling back. That one really put us back on top and gave us that boost we needed to finish out the game.”
It was 3-2 Port after one quarter, 4-3 Port at halftime and 5-3 Port after three.
“We didn’t do a great job of clearing the ball,” Dunne said. “ . . . We got a little rattled at times.”
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A school in Washington state was named among the “25 Most Beautiful College Campuses” in the U.S., according to a new report.
The destination brand Travel + Leisure ranked the University of Washington as having the 10th most attractive campus in the country, beating out schools such as Princeton University, Yale University, and Vanderbilt University.
The travel website awarded the top spot to Stanford University in the Bay Area of California. The sprawling 8,180-acre campus was given high marks for its “architectural crown jewel,” Memorial Church, and its panoramic views from the Hoover Tower.
Seattle campus recognized for architecture, stunning views
The Travel + Leisure report makes a point to acknowledge the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library, which the school explains is an example of the Collegiate Gothic style and was designed by Seattle architects Carl F. Gould Sr. and Charles H. Bebb. Construction on the library began in 1923.
Then there’s the views.
“But come spring, the quad’s 29 Yoshino cherry trees steal the spotlight with blooms of delicate pink petals set against red-brick buildings,” the report states. “The Drumheller Fountain is a great spot for views of snowcapped Mount Rainier.”
How many students go to the University of Washington?
Undergraduate enrollment was 39,125 in the fall of 2023, according to U.S. News and World Report. Graduate enrollment was 16,105 in the fall of 2023.
How much does it cost to go to the University of Washington?
In-state tuition and fees are $12,973, according to U.S. News and World Report. Out-of-state tuition and fees were listed at $43,209.
Is the University of Washington a good school?
The University of Washington is one of the top schools in the country and a “cutting-edge” research institution, according to U.S. News and World Report. The university ranked 46th in U.S. News’ 2025 Best National University Rankings.
The top 10 ‘most beautiful’ college campuses in the US, per Travel + Leisure
- Stanford University, California
- Berry College, Georgia
- University of Notre Dame, Indiana
- Florida Southern College, Florida
- Bard College, New York
- University of San Diego, California
- Rice University, Texas
- Cornell University, New York
- The University of the South, Tennessee
- University of Washington
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