Each summer since 2005, the National Weather Service (NWS) Baltimore/Washington Forecast Office (WFO LWX) has hosted one or more university undergraduate student volunteers. As part of the WFO LWX Student Volunteer Program, the selected students are paired with mentor forecasters to conduct a research project focused on problems of operational forecasting relevance. The research results are later presented at national conferences and infused into local operations with great benefit. The program recently has fostered collaboration among WFO LWX and the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC), county government officials and universities. In addition to research experience, the students gain exposure to routine and hazardous weather forecasting operations at the WFO (as the program spans a large portion of the Mid-Atlantic peak severe weather season).

Details of the WFO LWX Student Volunteer Program will be highlighted. Several recent projects and their impacts on local forecasting operations also will be discussed.