Interns

Sam Hewitt, Summit Intern

Sam was born and raised in the seacoast region of New Hampshire and has been interested in the weather for as long as he can remember. He graduated from the State University of New York at Oswego in May 2013 with a Bachelor's degree in meteorology and a minor in mathematics, and then spent two weeks chasing storms in the heart of tornado alley, fueling his passion for extreme weather.

Sam is most interested in the dynamics and physics that drive the atmosphere to produce weather. His research interests include: Lake-effect snow storms, northeast snow storms, climate change, improving severe weather forecasting using the Weather Research and Forecasting model, and severe weather in complicated terrain.

When not on the summit, Sam can be found landscaping and haying. His interests and hobbies include weather observation and forecasting, coin and paper currency collecting, small engine repair, hockey, and cars. He enjoys all aspects of the outdoors, particularly being on the water.

Sam discovered what it's like to live at the summit during an Observatory overnight trip in 2009, and has been interested in working there ever since. He hopes his internship will provide him a greater understanding of the atmosphere, and the opportunity to teach others about what he loves most: weather.

Tom Padham, Summit Intern

Serving as a summer intern in 2011, Tom has returned to the summit of Mount Washington to learn more about this fascinating and unique place. His first internship provided real-world knowledge and experience to help him complete his senior year at Pennsylvania State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Meteorology in the spring of 2012.

Like many meteorologists, Tom discovered his passion for weather at an early age. Growing up in northwest New Jersey, he was fascinated by the ever-changing weather—especially the extremes, like the blizzard of '96 and the more recent Hurricane Sandy.

An avid hiker, Tom is a state high-pointer, with 8 high points under his belt and a few more to hopefully add to the list this summer. He is thrilled to be returning to Mount Washington, and plans to make the most of the opportunity by expanding his knowledge of the weather and the mountain, while sharing that knowledge and passion with visitors.

Research Project: When high winds blow across Mount Washington, the gustiness of the wind speed can vary significantly. Some days the wind speed will be relatively constant, while other days the wind speed will increase and decrease by >30 mph in a matter of seconds. Increased gustiness increases the risk to human health and property damage. Tom will study local and regional atmospheric conditions that occur during each of these cases to determine what controls the gustiness of the wind on the summit. Results from this study will help improve wind forecasts for the high elevations of the White Mountains.

Pratik Patel, Summit Intern

Pratik is a recent graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Sciences. As a student, the American Meteorological Society member worked on several research projects while also tutoring for the Irwin Academic Center.

Pratik was born in India, but grew up in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. He loves hiking, playing sports and spending time with his friends and family. He was drawn to Mount Washington Observatory following a couple of months in the Arctic, where his fascination with extreme weather and harsh climate conditions grew. He plans to attend graduate school in the future with a concentration in Air Quality and Atmospheric Dynamics.