Summer Internship!

2019-06-10 09:12:52.000 – Emma Penafiel, Summit Intern

Wind, fog and snow oh my! Being up here is kind of like being transported to a Wizard of Oz sort of world. I am constantly on the edge of my forecasting seat waiting to see what new type of unexpected weather will pop up next. We even got snow today. Snow. In June!

Hello, my name is Emma Penafiel and I am the newest summit intern from Boxford, Massachusetts. I just finished my second year as an Earth and Planetary Science major at Johns Hopkins University and, let me say, coming from the 80 degree heat of Baltimore, the freezing temperatures on Mount Washington are a positive change.

So far I’ve only been here a few days, but I already feel at home. From the start I was going to be the only intern coming up in the middle of a shift and had no idea what to expect my first day. I was so nervous I had trouble eating that morning. Luckily, blustering winds, pearly white fog and new friends all welcomed me warmly at the summit. And, while my first day was filled with hours of reading, I knew that I was going to love my time on top of Mount Washington.

Being from Massachusetts I am familiar with New Hampshire and have hiked some of the other mountains dotting the region. Unfortunately, I had never before been to the top of Mount Washington, and nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of it all. Even on my second day, with the observatory encased in fog, I was mystified by my surrounding. That day also marked my first time climbing through those famous high winds to the top of the tower. When I came down, I was a soggy, windswept, smiling mess. I loved every second. And now, with three days of early mornings, shadowing both observers and fellow interns, and fun family dinners, I am positive that I am going to continue loving every moment.

While on top of Mount Washington I will be working on a project involving the North Atlantic Oscillation’s effect on the Mountain’s weather. While doing this, I am excited to learn more about the home of the “world’s worst weather.”

Emma Penafiel, Summit Intern