Meteorologist
Meteorologist
Career Overview
Meteorologists study the atmosphere, analyze weather data, and create forecasts that help people prepare for everything from everyday weather to major storms. They use satellites, radar, supercomputers, computer models, AI-supported tools, and massive datasets to understand what the atmosphere is doing and what may happen next.
Education
A bachelor's degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, physics, mathematics, or a closely related science is typically required, while research and advanced specialist roles may require graduate education. Students who enjoy math, science, computers, and solving complex problems are well suited to this career
Work Environment
Meteorologists work in weather centres, research facilities, government agencies, universities, media, and private companies, and some conduct fieldwork outdoors. Operational meteorologists may work shifts during nights, weekends, and holidays, using real-time radar, satellite imagery, weather models, and other technology to monitor changing conditions.
Future Outlook
There will continue to be opportunities for meteorologists because accurate weather information is essential to public safety, aviation, transportation, agriculture, energy, emergency management, and many other industries. Forecasting technology is advancing rapidly, but meteorologists are still needed to interpret complex information, communicate risks, and make decisions when severe weather threatens communities.
Recommended High School Courses
- Computer Science
- Physics
- English
- Geography
- Advanced Mathematics
- Earth & Space Science
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Provide technical information or assistance to public.
- Collect environmental data or samples.
- Measure environmental characteristics.
- Develop theories or models of physical phenomena.
- Interpret research or operational data.
- Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- Direct technical activities or operations.
- Conduct climatological research.
- Develop mathematical models of environmental conditions.
- Collaborate on research activities with scientists or technical specialists.
- Research environmental impact of industrial or development activities.
- Prepare research or technical reports on environmental issues.
- Communicate with the public on environmental issues.
- Provide educational information to the public.
- Analyze design requirements for computer or electronics systems.
- Develop training materials.
- Present information to the public.
- Teach classes in area of specialization.
- Test computer system operations to ensure proper functioning.
- Write computer programming code.
- Apply knowledge or research findings to address environmental problems.
- Develop environmental research methods.
- Instruct college students in physical or life sciences.
- Create images or other visual displays.
Schools
Ball State University
Bowdoin College
Embry-riddle Aeronautical...
Hampton University
Howard University
Suny At Stony Brook
Suny College Of Agricultu...
United States Air Force A...
University Of Alaska
University Of Alaska- Fai...
University Of Louisiana-...
University Of Massachuset...
University Of Miami
University Of North Carol...
University Of North Dakot...
University Of Oklahoma
University Of Washington-...
University Of Wisconsin-...
University Of Wyoming
Dalhousie University
Lakehead University- O...
Mcgill University
University Of British...
University Of Quebec-...
University Of Victoria
Potential Scholarships
5 Strong Scholarship
Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...
- Traditional Fulbright P...
Approx Salary Expectation
Low End:
$50,000.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$99,000.00 /yr
High End:
$161,000.00 /yr
Related Careers
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.