New Hampshire White Mountain National Forest STOP weather sign

Description

The Mount Washington area of New Hampshire, in the White Mountain National Forest, is renowned for its terrifyingly bad weather. In 1934, a wind speed of 231 miles per hour (372 km/h) was recorded at the top of Mount Washington. This wind speed is strong enough that, if it took place in a tornado, it would qualify as an EF5! For many years, this stood as the world wind speed record. Mount Washington set another record on February 3, 2023. An overnight low of –46° F (–43°C), combined with a wind speed of 96 mph (154 km/h), with gusts to 127 mph (204 km/h), combined to produce a wind chill of –108° F (–78° C)! This is the lowest wind chill ever calculated in the United States.

To warn hikers and campers of the breathtakingly bad weather, in the 1920s, the US Forest Service installed a warning sign in the White Mountain National Forest. It reads “STOP— The area ahead has the worst weather in America. Many have died there from exposure. Even in the summer. Turn back now if the weather is bad.” We’ve brought the classic White Mountain National Forest STOP warning sign back to life. Our replica is made to the exact standards the Forest Service used on their signage in the 1920s and 1930s. To make this sign, we’ve used the same block fonts typical of signage from the Bureau of Public Roads, and many other federal agencies, in that time period.

Our White Mountain National Forest STOP sign is printed on heavy 14-gauge steel. Its glossy, non-reflective finish accurately replicates the old-school porcelain look of the original. It’s durable enough to withstand the elements (although hopefully anywhere you’d install it has better weather than Mt. Washington!) It’s available in your choice of size, from 16 in. × 8 in. up to a massive 72 in. × 36 in. Every sign we sell includes two mounting holes, for your convenience. (Need this sign in a size not offered here? Or perhaps another New Hampshire sign, from any time between the 1920s and now? Or something totally different? We’d be happy to help with your custom order! Just contact Jake to get started.