How to become a meteorologist?

Question

I want to either be on a news station giving forecasts, the one flying in a storm plane over the hurricane to get the pressure and all the other good stuff, work in the National Weather Center, or report from areas in the pathway of storms...not tornado chasers though. What will I have to major in? Meteorology and Telecommunications (news)? or just meteorology or combined with something else?

I'm already in college. it's just the one i'm in doesn't offer meteorology. i'm trying to decide whether to transfer to another to major in it or major in something else to get me into graduate school for meteorology or choose a major to help me on my career path. thanks for all the answers so far! they are really helping! :)

Answer 1

I used to work for a university department of atmospheric science. This department taught a few undergraduate courses for general education but the major courses were graduate level. To get into the program you needed a BS in physics or a similar field. It was common knowledge in the department that many TV weather announcers had very little formal training in meteorology. "The Weather" was something that the station gave to new reporters. Sometimes looks were more important than knowledge. There are TV forecasters who have training and indeed some of our students were planning to go into the field.

Weather forecasting is just a small part of the field of meteorology. A lot of people in the field are working on problems such a long term climate trends, air quality, even weather control.

For more information you might want to contact NCAR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or AMS, the American Meteorological Society.

Answer 2

One option is joining the military. I'm an Air Force meteorologist, and there are tons of opportunities in the AF for weather-minded people. After the schooling (about a year), you get sent to a regional forecast center to learn the ins and outs of forecasting. You can then upgrade to become a weather observer, you can jump out of planes with the army and do weather support for them, compile climatology data, there are even people who do solar forecasting, watching the sun for sunspots and solar flares. The Hurricane Hunters are all AF reserve aircraft flown by AF people out of Keesler AFB, MS. You don't get a degree from a college, but you do get a bunch of real-world forecasting experience, on the job training, and if you really want a degree you can always use the GI bill to pay for school. When I was 20 years old I was doing real-world weather forecasts for air bases in Kansas and Oklahoma during the spring severe season, which not too many weather students can say they've done.

Answer 3

Generally you have to major in meterology with an emphasis in broadcast meterology to be on the news. FYI... forecasters on the news are not real scientists. They get most of their data from the National Weather Service and are really just there to look pretty for the camera. The downside of doing the research science like you are talking about usually requires a PhD in atmospheric physics or chemistry. Most people dont have the will to go through that much schooling. So, you can either look pretty for the camera and not be a real scientist or you can be in school until you're 35. Take your pick!

Answer 4

I am a meteorologist with some 45 years of experience. Today you can study to become a TV weather person at many schools around the country. The Pennsylvania State University is one such school. You need to take all the math and physics you can in high school to prepare for college. In college you will study to obtain a BS in Meteorology or Atmospheric Science. You will take courses in climatology, the analysis of meteorological data, numerical weather prediction, theoretical meteorology (dynamics, kinematics, and thermodynamics), physical meteorology, and perhaps courses in radar or satellite meteorology and more specialized courses in tropical or micro-meteorology. You will take more advanced forms of these courses in graduate school. For weather casting, (and by the way there are many TV weathercasters today with both degrees and advanced degrees in meteorology - Some have even served as president of the American Meterological Society) you will take specialized courses to help you prepare for that career. Both Navy and Air Force meteorologists work at the Joint Typhoon Weather Center in Hawaii producing forecasts for typhoons in the western north pacific ocean and Indian ocean. Air Force meteorologists also fly as hurricane hunters. The Air Force also sends officers back to school for advanced degrees. I obtained both my Masters and PhD through the Air Force. Besides Penn State Univ. there are many others including Univ. of Maryland, Florida State University, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M Univ., Colorado State Univ., Washington State Univ., Wisconsin Univ., and others. You can write any of these schools for a catalog of their courses. Hope this helps a little.

Answer 5

You will have to study meteorology, and taking some journalism classes won't hurt.

I understand that not very many U.S. schools have meteorology programs leading to full degrees, so begin scouting out colleges now. (Sorry I don't know if you are in the U.S. or not.) My cousin studied meteorology (but didn't finish the program) and I *think* it was Northern Illinois he attended purely because of its meteorology program.

Good luck! It sounds like a neat career path!

Answer 6

My father had a career in the Navy as a Meteorologist. He flew in those planes and worked at major computer centers with weather modeling. The Navy trained him... He was in the Navy for about 23 Years.

Answer 7

It relies upon on what you elect to do as a meteorologist. it is type of annoying to grow to be one, as you reported. in case you in basic terms elect to earnings the climate and forecast it, connect the protection rigidity. The AF and Marines especially have superb climate occupation fields. believe me, it is what I do.

Answer 8

go 2 the national weather center n show ur qualificatiions

Answer 9

study hard and learn how to use technologies