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Meteorologist
D.O.T.  025.062-010)

Nature of the Work

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.

Working Conditions

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.

Employment

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.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

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.

Job Outlook

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.

Earnings

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.

Related Occupations

Workers in other occupations concerned with the physical environment
include oceanographers, geologists and geophysicists, hydrologists,
and civil and environmental engineers.

Sources of Additional Information

   Information on career opportunities in meteorology is available
from:

   American Meteorological Society, 45 Beacon St., Boston, MA
02108-3693.

   National Weather Service, Personnel Branch, 1335 East West Hwy.,
SSMC1, Silver Spring, MD 20910.


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