Meteorolog

A meteorolog is a professional who studies the atmosphere to understand and forecast weather and to study climate trends. Meteorologs collect and analyze atmospheric data, develop models, and communicate forecasts and warnings to the public and to various industries. They work in research institutions, national meteorological services, universities, weather forecasting centers, aviation, and media.

Education typically requires a bachelor’s degree in meteorology or atmospheric sciences, meteorology, or a related field, with emphasis on mathematics, physics, computer science, and statistics. Advanced degrees are common for research roles. Programming skills and experience with numerical weather prediction models are important. Some countries have professional certification for broadcast forecasters or specialized aviation meteorologists.

Key methods and tools include weather stations, weather balloons (radiosondes), weather radar, weather satellites, and air traffic data; numerical weather prediction models; data assimilation; and ensemble forecasting. Meteorologs interpret model output, account for uncertainties, and communicate forecast products such as daily forecasts, hourly forecasts, advisories, and severe weather warnings.

Roles vary by sector: operational forecasters who issue routine forecasts; broadcast meteorologists who present weather on television or radio; climatologists who study long-term trends; research meteorologists who develop new observation methods or models; aviation meteorologists who support flight planning and safety.

History: Modern meteorology emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries with systematic observation networks and the development of numerical modeling. Today, meteorology integrates observations, physics, computer science, and statistics to improve forecasts and understanding of weather and climate.