The Study Of Meteorology And Career Prospects

Some people have an affinity for the place they live in. These people are the ones who do not usually get noticed as they are very particular about where they go and are usually the ones who are conscious about human behaviour towards the atmosphere and leave no stone unturned to ensure utmost care is being taken of Mother Nature. However, these people are exceptionally smart and they have a natural affinity for science and maths.

If you find the aforementioned paragraph relatable and are thinking about making a career choice at the moment, then being a meteorologist is something that you can consider. Most of us are well aware that the study of the atmosphere is known as meteorology. This is achieved by using maths and physics to predict the climate and the weather (of either a particular place or an entire area).

The effect of these atmospheric conditions on us humans (and that of other living and nonliving beings on earth) is something that is studied by meteorologists. This article talks in details about how you can make a career out of meteorology.

• Educational Background

This is clearly a subject of core science and students interested to pursue this must have a background in the same at their +2 level. Ideally, in order to become a meteorologist you need to have an undergraduate degree in fields related to that of atmospheric phenomena (like that of atmospheric science).

Those with a degree in physics, geoscience or chemistry are also welcomed. In some places, people with a degree in mathematics or computer programming are eligible to apply for some meteorology-related positions. Following the bachelor's degree, one can opt to pursue a postgraduate degree and there are quite a number of universities across the country that offer such courses.

There are quite a number of job opportunities in this field that are with respect to research-oriented positions. To be eligible for those, one needs to have a PhD in this field.

• Type Of Jobs

There are a number of weather stations across the country, all of which require trained meteorologists for their day-to-day functioning. Most of the work of these people is restricted to the indoor environment wherein they work in closed laboratories and come up with results.

Once in a while, they might have to do outdoor work as well. Other than this, there are government jobs wherein researchers are hired to collect data, infer that and then broadcast meteorological data either from the field or an indoor station.

Talking of the private sector, it is possible for meteorologists to find jobs in television stations, airlines and in consulting firms.

• Forensic Meteorologists

It is a well-established fact that weather can play a role in an accident, fire or any other form of natural mishap. The job role of a forensic meteorologist is to investigate the accident and give us information of the weather at specific points of time in the recent past.

By having knowledge of this, it is easier to arrive at a logical conclusion for some criminal situations. That is why forensic meteorologists are capable of testifying in front of the law.

• Climatologists

Unlike forensic meteorologists, the task of these people is to understand long-term weather patterns by studying the history of the climate. Study of things like global warming and greenhouse effect are under the jurisdiction of such people.

Climatologists are the people who are most likely to land with jobs as teachers and professors in colleges and universities. Climatologists who study prehistoric climatic conditions are known as palaeoclimatologist. Much of what we know about our past may be attributed to the fieldwork and research of such people.

• Atmospheric Researchers

These people study how the earth's waters are directly linked to that of the atmosphere and how preservation of one is necessary for safekeeping of the other resources. Thus, atmospheric researchers are often seen working with hydrologists, oceanographers, environmental scientists and physicists in order to interpret data.

Once the data has been interpreted by the entire panel of experts, the outcome is collaborated and subsequently the same is applied in order to preserve the natural resources and ensure that minimal harm is caused to them. Thus, atmospheric researchers have a major role to play in order to make the earth a better place to live in.

• Weather Forecasters

All of us have seen a weather forecaster telling the weather on TV at some point or the other. These people are meteorologists who have been trained for this particular purpose. Their job roles include using sophisticated computer models and collecting data from around the globe. The same is then tailored to predict the weather of a particular place.

Other than the weather forecasters that we see on TV, there are hundreds of others who work behind the scenes and are employed in a number of agencies under the government of India.

• Job Demand

As of now there is a shortage of professionals in this field and that is why people with proper educational qualifications are seen landing with jobs here. As per experts, the industry will be growing at an expected rate of 10% and by 2022 there will be an additional 1,100 jobs in this industry. Most of these jobs will be highly paid ones from the private sector.

• Work Schedule

It is important to note that the weather is something that keeps on changing round the clock for the entire year. Thus, there is a need to monitor the same. That is why most entry-level jobs in this field find people working in shifts. These people often have to work on weekends and holidays as well.

For senior-level jobs, the schedule is more regular and they are seen to work typical nine-hour shifts. Meteorological researchers often find themselves working long and extended shifts when the project so demands.