Getting “Cirrus” About Seek the Peak!

2017-04-28 04:41:34.000 – Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Education Specialist

Seek the Peak 2017 is only a few short months away and our summit crew is gearing up for what should be a great event! Our summit shift of Taylor Regan, Tom Padham, and Ryan Knapp are raising money for the observatory through our annual hike-a-thon coming up in July. This will be year 3 of our “Cirrus Contenders” team, and all of us know firsthand how very special this place is.

We have a very experienced team of observers on the summit, with Ryan Knapp currently the longest tenured observer on staff with over 11 years of experience. Originally from California, Ryan is well known for his amazing photography, especially his shots of the nighttime sky and northern lights that are enjoyed by many of our followers. Ryan’s decade of experience is also an incredible asset to the staff, and he’s seen some pretty incredible weather, including winds as high as 158 mph!

 Northern Lights photo taken by Ryan Knapp October 2016

Taylor Regan is our newest observer, but she brings a unique skillset to the observatory combining her background in engineering with her passion for the weather. Originally from Massachusetts, Taylor is also a great photographer, and will be working on adding a “virtual hike” option for participants in Seek the Peak. This option will allow people to remotely hike along to a video of ascending the mountain, with overlaid information about the weather conditions, observatory history, and other important facts. Keep an eye out for more updates on this in the near future!

 Taylor can take some pretty great photos also!

Tom Padham has nearly 5 years of experience working on the summit as the staff meteorologist and night observer, and also as the Education Specialist over the past year. Originally from New Jersey, Tom’s passion for the weather led him to become an intern at the observatory before joining the staff full time in 2012. Tom especially enjoys the education programs he’s given over the past year with the switch to Education Specialist, and being able to share his passion for Mount Washington and its famous weather with thousands of people from across the country.

Interview with the Weather Channel 10/28/2016 

It’s an honor to be a part of this hardworking staff and continue our legacy in studying and experiencing some of the worst weather on Earth. Performing our work in weather observation, research, and education is no easy task, but funding all of it can be even more difficult. None of our work would be possible without the thoughtfulness of many passionate people from across the country and beyond. Please consider making a donation towards our largest annual fundraiser for the nonprofit Mount Washington Observatory, and consider supporting our team of summit observers here. We look forward to seeing you on the summit July 22nd!

 

Tom Padham, Weather Observer/Education Specialist