Highlights of 2021 at Summit
Rare rain event occurs at Summit Station
During the summer of 2021, it rained at Summit Station on August 14th (Figure 1). Liquid water occurs often in the atmosphere at Summit in a couple of different forms. Researchers often observe supercooled liquid water clouds over the station in summer. Most of the time, these water droplets are mixed with ice crystals to create “mixed-phase” clouds. Station personnel also observe rime on structures. Riming occurs when supercooled water droplets collide with a surface, then freeze, creating an icy glaze. This is something that the science technicians must contend with to keep outdoor instruments happy and healthy.