October 22, 2026

Nimbus, the Mount Washington Summit Cat

From the streets of Oklahoma to one of America's windiest places, Nimbus has found a rather unusual home.

At the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, more than 6,000 feet above sea level, a gray cat named Nimbus lives with a team of meteorologists.

Mount Washington is known for some of the most extreme weather in the United States, with powerful winds, heavy snow, and freezing temperatures. Weather observers are there year-round, monitoring conditions from their station at the summit.

Nimbus sticks around all year, too. He joined Mount Washington Observatory in April 2021, but his journey started in a totally different place. Before he became the summit cat, he was a stray from Oklahoma named Greg. The Observatory staff renamed him Nimbus, after the gray rain-bearing clouds that resemble his fur.

Life on the summit

Nimbus isn't the first cat to call Mount Washington home. This whole cat-on-the-mountain tradition started way back in 1932 when the Observatory opened up. They had cats around to keep the rodents away and provide company for staff working long shifts. By 1934, Observatory logs recorded eight cats, including Tikky, Oompha, Blackie, and Ammonuisance.

Nimbus took over from Marty, the last summit cat, who passed away in 2020. Like the cats before him, Nimbus has a job too. He’s a nighttime mouse hunter, but during the day you'll usually find him napping, visiting the weather crew, and asking for treats.

When the weather’s nice, he likes to go outside and explore the rocks around the summit, sometimes even hiding in little caves. He always comes back to the Observatory.

Winter is a whole different story. When snow covers the mountain and the winds pick up, Nimbus prefers the cozy indoors, often lounging on the couch, someone's lap, or right on top of the heater. He's also got a bed and a hammock set up upstairs in the weather room.

The Observatory's resident celebrity

Nimbus has become a familiar face to the Observatory's followers and visitors. He appears in photos, calendars, and souvenirs, and even has a stuffed-animal version of himself. He’s also a big part of the annual Seek the Peak fundraiser and contributes a column called News from Nimbus to its Windswept publication.

Visitors sometimes meet him during weather station tours, although sightings aren't guaranteed. Nimbus has access to the Observatory's working areas and living quarters, and people might find him sleeping, exploring, or hunting mice when they arrive.

For the meteorologists working long shifts on Mount Washington, he's also a friendly companion who happens to share their unusual workplace. Even though he may live in one of the country's most extreme weather spots, he knows all the best warm spots to hang out. And on those really stormy days, there's always the heater to cozy up next to.

You can also read more about Nimbus in the Observatory’s own FAQ.

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