Nature of the Work:
Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, the air that surrounds the earth. Meteorologists study the atmosphere's physical characteristics, motions, and processes, and the way the atmosphere affects the rest of our environment. The best-known application of this knowledge is in forecasting the weather. However, weather information and meteorological research also are applied in air-pollution control, agriculture, air and sea transportation, and the study of trends in the earth's climate such as global warming or ozone depiction.
Meteorologists who forecast the weather, known professionally as operational or synoptic meteorologists, are the largest group of specialists. They study information on air pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind velocity, and apply physical and mathematical relationships to make short- and long-range weather forecasts. Their information comes from weather satellites, weather radar, and from remote sensors and observers in many parts of the world. Meteorologists use sophisticated computer models of the world's atmosphere to help forecast the weather and interpret the results of these models to make long-term, short-term, and local-area forecasts.
Some meteorologists engage in research. Physical meteorologists, for example, study the atmosphere's chemical and physical properties, the transmission of light, sound, and radio waves, and the transfer of energy in the atmosphere. They also study factors affecting formation of clouds, rain, snow, and other weather phenomena. Climatologists analyze past records of wind, rainfall, sunshine, and temperature in specific areas or regions. Their studies are used to plan heating and cooling systems, design buildings, and aid in effective land utilization. Much meteorological research is centered on improving weather forecasting, mainly through building better computer models of the atmosphere, including interactions with land and water surfaces.
Working Conditions:
Jobs in weather stations, most of which operate around the clock 7 days a week, often involve night work and rotating shifts. Weather stations are at airports, in or near cities, and in isolated and remote areas. Meteorologists in smaller weather offices generally work alone; in larger ones, they work as part of a team. Meteorologists not doing forecasting work regular hours, usually in offices.
Employment:
The largest employer of civilian meteorologists is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). About two-thirds of NOAA's meteorologists work in the National Weather Service at stations in all parts of the United States. The remainder of NOAA's meteorologists, work mainly in research The Department of Defense also employs sa few civilian meteorologists. Others work for private weather consultants, engineering services firms, and nonprofit organizations.In addition to civilian meteorologists, thousands of members of the Armed Forces do forecasting and other meteorological work.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement:
A bachelor's degree with a major in meteorology is the usual minimum requirement for beginning jobs in weather forecasting. However, many employers prefer to hire those with an advanced degree, and an advanced degree is increasingly necessary for promotion.
Jobs with the National Weather Service require a bachelor's degree not necessarily in meteorology with 20 semester hours in meteorology, including 6 hours in weather analysis and forecasting (synoptic meteorology) and 6 hours in dynamic meteorology. Six hours of differential and integral calculus and 6 hours of college physics also are required.
For research and college teaching, an advanced degree, preferably a Ph.D. in meteorology is essential. People with graduate degrees in other sciences also may qualify if they have advanced courses in meteorology, physics, mathematics, and chemistry.
Since meteorology is a small field, relatively few colleges and universities offer degrees in meteorology, although many departments of physics, earth science, and geophysics offer atmospheric science and related courses. Prospective students should make certain that courses required by the National Weather Service and other employers are offered. The college they are considering. Many programs combine the study of meteorology with another field, such as agriculture, engineering, or physics.
Beginning meteorologists often do routine data collection, compilation, or analysis and are given more difficult assignments as they gain experience. Experienced meteorologists may advance to various supervisory or administrative jobs. A few meteorologists establish their own weather consulting services.
Job Outlook:
Employment of meteorologists is expected togrow faster than the average for all occupations through the year. The National Weather Service, which employs many meteorologists, plans to increase its employment of meteorologists, mainly in its field offices, to improve short-term and local-area weather forecasts. Although some of these additional jobs will be filled internally through the upgrading of meteorological technicians, there still should be many more openings in in the National Weather Service over the next 5 to 10 years than there have been in the past. Employment of meteorologists in other parts of the Federal Government is not expected to increase. However many new jobs will be created in private industry with the increased use of private weather forecasting and meteorological services by farmers, commodity investors, transportation and construction firms, and radio and TV stations. For people in these and other areas, even a slight improvement in the detail and accuracy of weather information and forecasts over the standard information provided by the National Weather Service can be a significant benefit
Despite the projected faster-than-average growth, most of the job openings in this very small occupation will arise from the need to replace those who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.
Related Occupations:
Workers in other occupations concerned with the physical environment include oceanographers, geologists and geophysicists, and environmental engineers.
