Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, the air that covers 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, defense, and the study of trends in the earth's climate such as global warming or ozone depletion.
Meteorologists who forecast the weather, known professionally as operational meteorologists, are the largest group of specialists. They study information on air pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind velocity, and they apply physical and mathematical relationships to make short-and long-range weather forecasts. Their data come from weather satellites, weather radar, and 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. These forecasts inform not only the general public, but also those who need accurate weather information for both economic and safety reasons, as in the shipping, aviation, agriculture, fishing, and utilities industries.
The use of weather balloons, launched twice a day, to measure wind, temperature, and humidity in the upper atmosphere, is being supplemented by more sophisticated weather equipment which transmits data as frequently as every few minutes. Doppler radar, for example, can detect rotational patterns in violent storm systems, allowing forecasters to better predict thunderstorms, tornadoes, flash floods, as well as their direction and intensity.
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, such as severe storms. Climatologists collect, analyze, and interpret past records of wind, rainfall, sunshine, and temperature in specific areas or regions. Their studies are used to design buildings and to plan heating and cooling systems, effective land use, and agricultural production. Other research meteorologists may examine the most effective ways to control or diminish air pollution or improve weather forecasting using mathematical models.
Meteorologists involved in weather forecasting sometimes work evenings, weekends, or holidays.
Jobs in weather stations, most of which operate around the clock 7 days a week, often involve night, weekend, and holiday work and rotating shifts. Operational meteorologists are often under pressure to meet forecast deadlines. Weather stations are found all over the country: At airports, in or near cities, and in isolated and remote areas. Meteorologists in smaller weather offices often work alone; in larger ones, they work as part of a team. Meteorologists not doing forecasting work regular hours, usually in offices.
Meteorologists held about 6,100 jobs in 1992. The largest employer of civilian meteorologists is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which employs about 2,400 meteorologists. The majority 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 or in program management. The Department of Defense employs about 280 civilian meteorologists. Others work for private weather consultants, research and testing services, and computer and data processing services.
Hundreds of people teach meteorology and related courses in college and university departments of meteorology or atmospheric science, physics, earth science, and geophysics. (See the statement on college and university faculty elsewhere in the Handbook.)
In addition to civilian meteorologists, thousands of members of the Armed Forces do forecasting and other meteorological work.
A bachelor's degree with a major in meteorology or a closely related field with coursework in meteorology is the usual minimum requirement for a beginning job as a meteorologist.
The preferred educational requirement for entry level meteorologists in the Federal Government is a bachelor's degree not necessarily in meteorology with at least 20 semester hours of meteorology courses, including 6 hours in weather analysis and forecasting and 6 hours in dynamic meteorology. In addition to meteorology coursework, differential and integral calculus and 6 hours of college physics are required. These requirements will probably be upgraded soon, and most likely will include coursework in computer science and additional coursework appropriate for a physical science major, such as statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, or physical climatology. Sometimes, a combination of experience and education may be substituted for a degree.
Although positions in operational meteorology are available for those with only a bachelor's degree, obtaining a graduate degree enhances advancement potential. A master's degree is usually necessary for conducting research and development, and a Ph.D. is usually required for college teaching. Students who plan a career in teaching or research and development need not necessarily major in meteorology as an undergraduate. In fact, a bachelor's degree in mathematics, physics, or engineering is excellent preparation for graduate study in meteorology.
Because meteorology is a small field, relatively few colleges and universities offer degrees in meteorology or atmospheric science, although many departments of physics, earth science, geography, 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 at the college they are considering. Computer science courses, additional meteorology courses, and a strong background in mathematics and physics are expected to become more important to prospective employers as new, sophisticated weather equipment and radar systems become operational. Many programs combine the study of meteorology with another field, such as agriculture, engineering, or physics. For example, hydrometeorology is the blending of hydrology (the science of the earth's water) and meteorology, and this is an emerging field concerned with the impact of precipitation on the hydrologic cycle and the environment.
Beginning meteorologists often do routine data collection, computation, or analysis and some basic forecasting. Entry level meteorologists in the Federal Government are usually placed in intern positions for training and experience. Experienced meteorologists may advance to various supervisory or administrative jobs, or may handle more complex forecasting jobs. Increasing numbers of meteorologists establish their own weather consulting services.
Employment of meteorologists is expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005. The National Weather Service, which employs many meteorologists, expects 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 are being filled internally through the upgrading of meteorological technicians, there still should be more openings in the National Weather Service in the next 5 years than there have been in the past. Employment of meteorologists in other parts of the Federal Government is not expected to increase. Additional jobs will be created in private industry with the increased use of private weather forecasting and meteorological services by farmers, commodity investors, utilities, 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 general information provided by the National Weather Service can yield significant benefits. However, because many customers for private weather services are in industries sensitive to fluctuations in the economy, the sales and growth of private weather services depend on the health of the economy.
Along with the projected average growth, many 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.
The average salary for meteorologists in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions employed by the Federal Government was $48,266 in 1993. In 1993, meteorologists in the Federal Government with a bachelor's degree and no experience received a starting salary of $18,340 or $22,717 a year, depending on their college grades. Those with a master's degree could start at $22,717 or $27,790; those with the Ph.D. degree, at $33,623 or $40,299.
Workers in other occupations concerned with the physical environment include oceanographers, geologists and geophysicists, hydrologists, and civil and environmental engineers.
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Reprinted with Permission of U. S. Department of Labor