Hello! My name is Ben Tomfohrde and I am a Meteorologist from Central New Jersey.

Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast in 2011 and 2012. I was captivated by the damage these powerful storms could produce. The extent of destruction caused by these disturbances was rare so far from the tropics. In the wake of Sandy, my home lost power for a week and I was forced to attend school at a church for a time due to the grid being completely knocked out. These systems left me in awe at the power of the atmosphere and the damage it could produce. During this time I developed a deep passion for studying extreme weather phenomena and knew that meteorology was my future.

Initially, I helped my teachers, classmates and friends by forecasting the weather when needed and served as the class weatherman. It excited me to deepen my love for meteorology while helping others. In 2016, my Bar Mitzvah was postponed because it occurred on the same day as one of the strongest blizzards to impact the Mid-Atlantic: January 23, 2016. This winter storm only increased my fascination for winter weather and furthered my desire to forecast.

In high school, I knew I wanted to join a community of individuals that shared the same common interests as I did. I rechartered a local American Meteorological Society chapter and took on the role of president. I was eager to build a group of young students who shared my passion for weather and atmospheric science. In 2020 during the pandemic, I hosted events virtually with professionals until in-person events were permitted. I felt accomplished in creating a local group of students and aspiring meteorologists as I prepared for college.

I completed my undergraduate degree at Penn State, receiving an extremely valuable education and the experience to forecast across Pennsylvania for public and university clients with the nation’s oldest student-run forecasting organization: Campus Weather Service. As a member of Penn State’s branch of the AMS: PSUBAMS, I networked with local professionals in the private and public sectors, met renowned meteorologists and learned more about the great opportunities within our field. I was even chosen to attend the AMS 2025 Annual Meeting on behalf of PSUBAMS in New Orleans.

Now, as a part-time Freelance Meteorologist, I seek opportunities to continue my dream as an operational meteorologist, weather forecaster and communicator in any sector.