Seymour Lester Hess (October 27, 1920 – January 15, 1982) was an American meteorologist and planetary scientist.He was born in Brooklyn, New York. After earning a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Brooklyn College, in 1943 he entered the University of Chicago as an Army Air Cadet. He completed his master's degree in 1945, then, following his release from military service as a Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces, he became a doctoral student in the meteorology department.