A Career in Meteorology
Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere; thus, a meteorologist is someone “who uses scientific principles to explain, understand, observe, or forecast the earth’s atmosphere phenomena and/or how the atmosphere affects the earth and life on the planet”, as stated by the American Meteorological Society.
A common misconception about meteorologists is that either they are on TV as a broadcast meteorologist or they are a “behind the scenes” meteorologist. While broadcast meteorologists are the face of meteorology, they only make up a small fraction of the field. And they're not just a pretty face. Contrary to what you may think, they spend hours making their own forecasts and making sure they relay accurate information to their viewers. There are also strict requirements for broadcasters to receive different certifications. Information for the National Weather Association certification can be found HERE, and for the American Meteorological Society can be found HERE.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a government agency that focuses on researching the land, sea, and sky. There are several sub-agencies that compose NOAA; one of these being the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS is one of the larger employers for meteorologists in the U.S. They issue forecasts, severe weather warnings, and other products for localized areas across the country. Click HERE to find out more information and about a career in the NWS. Additionally, the National Weather Association has a great video on working in the NWS, as well as applying to the NWS.
The previously mentioned career paths are just two of many, many careers in meteorology. Other careers include those in social science, military, forensics (yes, you read that right--forensics), programming, research, private-sector forecasting (forecasting for clients in energy production, agriculture, airlines, etc.), and more. Two of those options, social science and programming, are quickly growing into huge sub-disciplines in meteorology. Social science considers how the public reacts to and perceives phrasing, language, and graphics that meteorologists use to relay information. Thanks to modern-day computing power, programming is useful in doing research and working with large data sets.
You can find out more about meteorology and what meteorologists do HERE. All these meteorologists must learn from someone, right? Another common career for meteorologists is to be a professor at a university. Here, meteorologists will teach courses, research, or often both, which leads to the next topic below.
A common misconception about meteorologists is that either they are on TV as a broadcast meteorologist or they are a “behind the scenes” meteorologist. While broadcast meteorologists are the face of meteorology, they only make up a small fraction of the field. And they're not just a pretty face. Contrary to what you may think, they spend hours making their own forecasts and making sure they relay accurate information to their viewers. There are also strict requirements for broadcasters to receive different certifications. Information for the National Weather Association certification can be found HERE, and for the American Meteorological Society can be found HERE.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a government agency that focuses on researching the land, sea, and sky. There are several sub-agencies that compose NOAA; one of these being the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS is one of the larger employers for meteorologists in the U.S. They issue forecasts, severe weather warnings, and other products for localized areas across the country. Click HERE to find out more information and about a career in the NWS. Additionally, the National Weather Association has a great video on working in the NWS, as well as applying to the NWS.
The previously mentioned career paths are just two of many, many careers in meteorology. Other careers include those in social science, military, forensics (yes, you read that right--forensics), programming, research, private-sector forecasting (forecasting for clients in energy production, agriculture, airlines, etc.), and more. Two of those options, social science and programming, are quickly growing into huge sub-disciplines in meteorology. Social science considers how the public reacts to and perceives phrasing, language, and graphics that meteorologists use to relay information. Thanks to modern-day computing power, programming is useful in doing research and working with large data sets.
You can find out more about meteorology and what meteorologists do HERE. All these meteorologists must learn from someone, right? Another common career for meteorologists is to be a professor at a university. Here, meteorologists will teach courses, research, or often both, which leads to the next topic below.
AN Education in Meteorology
Another misconception about meteorology is that it can't be that hard, right? All you have to do is learn how to talk and move your hands and how to stand in front of a green screen--seems pretty easy, right? First, that's not always the easiest, as there are several classes that broadcast meteorologists have to take in order to perform properly on screen. Second, that is far from what you must learn in order to qualify as a degreed meteorologist, given that there is much more to being one than just being on TV.
Meteorology curriculums may differ slightly depending on the university; however, they all focus on two things: math and physics. Although, it’s not just algebra and F=MA physics. It’s math, as in Calculus I, II, and III, as well as Differential Equations and beyond. It’s physics, as in rigid body and fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and electricity and magnetism. Further, there are just as many classes that focus on how to apply these concepts to meteorological processes and systems. It is not easy material (at least it wasn’t for me), but it allows meteorologists to physically understand the atmosphere in four dimensions. Click HERE to find colleges and universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in meteorology.
In addition to math and physics, a background in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and/or computer science is extremely beneficial in a crowded job market, the latter becoming a widespread requirement to graduate with a degree in meteorology. Computer science/programming is necessary for doing research and is becoming extraordinarily helpful in operations.
Meteorology curriculums may differ slightly depending on the university; however, they all focus on two things: math and physics. Although, it’s not just algebra and F=MA physics. It’s math, as in Calculus I, II, and III, as well as Differential Equations and beyond. It’s physics, as in rigid body and fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and electricity and magnetism. Further, there are just as many classes that focus on how to apply these concepts to meteorological processes and systems. It is not easy material (at least it wasn’t for me), but it allows meteorologists to physically understand the atmosphere in four dimensions. Click HERE to find colleges and universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in meteorology.
In addition to math and physics, a background in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and/or computer science is extremely beneficial in a crowded job market, the latter becoming a widespread requirement to graduate with a degree in meteorology. Computer science/programming is necessary for doing research and is becoming extraordinarily helpful in operations.
Forecasting
It would seem that our lives revolve around the weather. This causes us to want to know exactly how hot or cold it will be, when exactly it will rain and how much, whether little Johnny's birthday party can be outdoor at the park next Saturday, etc. We want to know what the atmosphere will be doing at exactly this time at exactly this place (which is next to impossible to do). Meteorologists don’t typically forecast an exact temperature, timing and amount of rain or snow, etc. for a specific point, but rather a range of values and timing for an area. This may look like they are trying to cover themselves, but it is simply the best way to forecast due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere. This, combined with our inability to fully understand it, lack of sufficient measurements of atmospheric conditions, and lack of computer power to completely simulate it, we only have a decent grasp of about 3 days out. Depending on the situation, even that can be rocky. That is why you shouldn’t put 100% faith in forecasts past three days and especially be wary of forecasts that are 7 or more days out. Forecasting is extremely difficult, and meteorologists pride themselves in trying to get the forecast as accurate as possible. They don't want to "lie" to you, or get "paid to be wrong half the time", because what sense would that make? If I had a dollar for every time someone said one of those lines to me, I could probably retire in the next 10 years.
When you hear that there is a 30% chance of rain, what do you think that means? This link provides an excellent explanation.
Thanks to social media, anyone can share any information they want, including that about the weather. Occasionally, some people on social media who may or may not have proper meteorological experience and knowledge will share information or an image of a weather model producing an apocalyptic situation 7+ days out, hyping a situation that probably won't take place, causing panic. Keep in mind that ANYONE can make a page on Facebook or Twitter that provides “forecasts”, but may have absolutely no idea what they are talking about, just as I could make a page on knitting when I have never knitted before and know nothing on the topic. When it comes to social media, I recommend to only follow your local broadcast meteorologist and/or NWS office. These two sources are the most reliable when it comes to your local forecast. If they don't provide you with the exact answer you're looking for, it probably means that they physically can't, so don’t go looking for it elsewhere. Unfortunately, the previous explanation discredits individuals who are not degreed or professional meteorologists but are good at forecasting and strive to provide up-to-date and accurate information. If you wish to follow one of these “third party” forecasters, a general rule of thumb is to be cautious of them if they have forecasts that are contradicting to your local broadcast or NWS meteorologists, apocalyptic storm forecasts for a week or two into the future, or if they create their own watches and warnings. You should only ever listen to watches produced by the Storm Prediction Center, and warnings produced by your local NWS office.
Speaking of the NWS, guess what? Given that they are a government agency, your taxes pay for what they do. So, in return, you get forecasts and weather data for free! There are over one-hundred Weather Forecasting Offices (WFOs) that are a part of the NWS across the country. These offices have degreed meteorologists that forecast the weather for a relatively small area, issue weather warnings, and work with local government officials to keep people safe. That means they are experienced with your area and know its potential uniqueness, such as the local geography and how it affects small-scale weather patterns that forecasting models can’t pick up on, allowing for a more accurate forecast. Thus, your local NWS office, as well as your local broadcast meteorologist, will have more skill in forecasting than the app on your phone. I’m not saying that the forecasts produced by apps are wrong, but you should rely on your local meteorologists during high-impact weather events, such as winter storms or severe weather. You can get NWS information on your phone, for free, by clicking HERE.
When you hear that there is a 30% chance of rain, what do you think that means? This link provides an excellent explanation.
Thanks to social media, anyone can share any information they want, including that about the weather. Occasionally, some people on social media who may or may not have proper meteorological experience and knowledge will share information or an image of a weather model producing an apocalyptic situation 7+ days out, hyping a situation that probably won't take place, causing panic. Keep in mind that ANYONE can make a page on Facebook or Twitter that provides “forecasts”, but may have absolutely no idea what they are talking about, just as I could make a page on knitting when I have never knitted before and know nothing on the topic. When it comes to social media, I recommend to only follow your local broadcast meteorologist and/or NWS office. These two sources are the most reliable when it comes to your local forecast. If they don't provide you with the exact answer you're looking for, it probably means that they physically can't, so don’t go looking for it elsewhere. Unfortunately, the previous explanation discredits individuals who are not degreed or professional meteorologists but are good at forecasting and strive to provide up-to-date and accurate information. If you wish to follow one of these “third party” forecasters, a general rule of thumb is to be cautious of them if they have forecasts that are contradicting to your local broadcast or NWS meteorologists, apocalyptic storm forecasts for a week or two into the future, or if they create their own watches and warnings. You should only ever listen to watches produced by the Storm Prediction Center, and warnings produced by your local NWS office.
Speaking of the NWS, guess what? Given that they are a government agency, your taxes pay for what they do. So, in return, you get forecasts and weather data for free! There are over one-hundred Weather Forecasting Offices (WFOs) that are a part of the NWS across the country. These offices have degreed meteorologists that forecast the weather for a relatively small area, issue weather warnings, and work with local government officials to keep people safe. That means they are experienced with your area and know its potential uniqueness, such as the local geography and how it affects small-scale weather patterns that forecasting models can’t pick up on, allowing for a more accurate forecast. Thus, your local NWS office, as well as your local broadcast meteorologist, will have more skill in forecasting than the app on your phone. I’m not saying that the forecasts produced by apps are wrong, but you should rely on your local meteorologists during high-impact weather events, such as winter storms or severe weather. You can get NWS information on your phone, for free, by clicking HERE.