Editing Meteorologist

{{Short description|Scientist specialising in meteorology}}
{{Infobox occupation
| name               = Meteorologist
| synonyms           = Weather forecaster
| pronounce          = 
| image              = Project Vortex- filming a potentially tornadogenic storm.jpg
| imagesize          =
| alt                =
| caption            = Meteorologist studying tornadoes during [[VORTEX projects]]
| official_names     = 
| type               = 
| activity_sector    = [[Meteorology]]
| competencies       = 
| formation          = Minimum B.Sc. in meteorology
| employment_field   = Research, teaching and operational
| related_occupation = [[Climatologist]]
}}
A '''meteorologist''' is a scientist who studies and works in the field of [[meteorology]] aiming to understand or predict Earth's [[atmosphere of Earth|atmospheric phenomena]] including the [[weather]].<ref>{{cite book|first1=Todd S.|last1=Glickman|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|date=June 2009|url=http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Meteorologist |series=Meteorology Glossary |title=Meteorologist|format=electronic|edition=2nd|publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]]|access-date=November 12, 2019}}</ref> Those who study meteorological phenomena are meteorologists in research, while those using mathematical models and knowledge to prepare daily weather forecasts are called ''weather forecasters'' or ''operational meteorologists''.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Todd S.|last1=Glickman|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|date=June 2009|url=http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Weather_forecaster|series=Meteorology Glossary |title=Weather forecaster|format=electronic|edition=2nd|publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]]|access-date=November 12, 2019}}</ref>

Meteorologists work in [[Government agency|government agencies]], private consulting and [[research]] services, industrial enterprises, utilities, radio and [[television stations]], and in [[education]]. They are not to be confused with [[weather presenter]]s, who present the weather forecast in the media and range in training from journalists having just minimal training in meteorology to full-fledged meteorologists.

==Description==
Meteorologists study the Earth's atmosphere and its interactions with the Earth's surface, the oceans and the [[biosphere]]. Their knowledge of applied [[mathematics]] and [[physics]] allows them to understand the full range of atmospheric phenomena, from [[snowflake]] formation to the Earth's general [[climate]].<ref name=UQAM>{{cite web|language=en|url=https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/276127-meteorologist-job-description|title=Meteorologist: Job Description|year=2020|website= targetjobs.co.uk|access-date=November 9, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Norman OK meteorologist.png|thumb|Operational meteorologist at the US [[Storm Prediction Center]], 2006]]
Research meteorologists are specialized in areas like:<ref name=UQAM/>

* [[Climatology]] to estimate the various components of the climate and their variability to determine, for example, the wind potential of a given region or [[global warming]].
* [[Air quality]] where they are interested in the phenomena of transport, transformation and dispersion of atmospheric pollutants and may be called upon to design scenarios for the reduction of polluting emissions.
* [[Atmospheric convection]] to refine knowledge of the structure and forces involved in [[tropical cyclone]]s, [[thunderstorm]]s and mid-latitude storms;
* The modeling of the atmosphere and the development of [[numerical weather prediction]].

Operational meteorologists, also known as forecasters:<ref name=UQAM/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/careers/meteorology|title=Careers in Meteorology|author=National Weather Service|date=2019|editor=NOAA|access-date=November 9, 2019}}</ref> 
* Collect weather data in some countries, but it is mostly done by technicians elsewhere.
* Analyze data and numerical weather prediction model outputs to prepare daily weather forecasts.
* Provide weather advice and guidance to private or governmental users.
* Collaborate with the researchers for integrating science and technology into the forecast process, in particular for indices and model outputs, for weather-dependent users such as [[Agricultural meteorology|farming]], [[Forest fire weather index|forestry]], [[Aviation meteorology|aviation]], [[Marine weather forecasting|maritime shipping and fisheries]], etc.

Meteorologists can also be consultants for private firms in studies for projects involving [[weather phenomena]] such as [[windfarm]]s, tornado protection, etc. They finally can be [[weather presenter]]s in the media (radio, TV, internet).

==Training==
[[File:PSM V45 D348 Forecasters at work in washington.jpg|thumb|In 1894, a group of US [[National Weather Service|Weather Bureau]] forecasters at work]]
To become a meteorologist, a person must take at least one undergraduate university degree in meteorology.<ref name=UQAM/> For researchers, this training continues with higher education, while for forecasters, each country has its own way of training.<ref name=UQAM/> For example, the [[Meteorological Service of Canada]] and UK [[Met Office]] have their own training course after the university, while [[Météo-France]] takes charge of all the training once the person has passed the entrance examination at the National School of Meteorology after high school.<ref>{{cite web |language=fr|url= http://www.enm.meteo.fr/content/admission-concours-0 |title= Admission et concours|year=2016|publisher=[[Météo-France]] |access-date=November 9, 2019 |quote= Ce concours peut se passer après le lycée, pour le grade de technicien ou après une licence ou des classes préparatoires pour devenir ingénieur. Le candidat qui a réussi le concours peut même être payé pendant ses études s'il travaille à terme pour Météo-France pendant 10 ans. Il a le statut de fonctionnaire.}}</ref> In United States, forecasters are hired by the [[National Weather Service]] or private firms after university, and receive on-the-job training, while researchers are hired according to their expertise.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/careers |title=Careers in the National Weather Service|work=NWS JetStream|publisher=NOAA|date=2019|access-date=November 9, 2019}}</ref>

In some countries, such as in United States, there is a third way where a graduate in meteorology and communication at the college or university level can be hired as media meteorologists. They are to be distinguished from [[weather presenter]]s who have only a communication degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/media/bro/outreach/pdf/CareerOpportunitiesMeteorology.pdf|title=Career Opportunities in Meteorology|publisher=National Weather Service|access-date=May 29, 2023}}</ref>

==Some notable meteorologists==
* [[Francis Beaufort]], inventor of the [[Beaufort scale|wind scale]] that bears his name.<ref>{{cite book|language=fr|first1=Reding|last1=Raymond|title=Beaufort: l'amiral du vent: une vie de Sir Francis Beaufort (1774–1857)|year=2017 |publisher=Le Croît vif |isbn=9782361995591|oclc=1013596077}}</ref>
* [[Vilhelm Bjerknes]], founder of modern meteorology who created the [[Bergen School of Meteorology]], where researchers defined the [[Weather front|frontal theory]] and [[cyclogenesis]] of mid-latitudes storms.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Friedman|last1=Robert Marc|title=Appropriating the weather : Vilhelm Bjerknes and the construction of a modern meteorology|publisher=Cornell University Press|date=1993|isbn=9780801481604|oclc=30264429|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/appropriatingwea0000frie}}</ref>
* [[Jacob Bjerknes]], son of the former, who attended the Norwegian school and who studied the [[El Niño]] phenomenon. He linked the latter to the Southern Oscillation.<ref>[http://library.thinkquest.org/20901/overview_3.htm ''Jacob Bjerknes – the Synthesizer''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415235708/http://library.thinkquest.org/20901/overview_3.htm |date=15 April 2011 }} (University of Washington)</ref><ref>[http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Jacob_Bjerknes/utdypning ''Jacob Bjerknes''] (Norsk biografisk leksikon)</ref>
* [[Daniel Draper (meteorologist)|Daniel Draper]], inventor of a number of important weather measurement devices including a self-recording wind direction and velocity instruments, self-recording dry and wet bulb thermometers, a hygrograph, a self-recording rain gauge, a sun thermometer, and a weighing mercurial barograph.<ref>[http://waywiser.fas.harvard.edu/people/6997/daniel-draper;jsessionid=26F71DE5F0DF92D336F193CE89CCDC56 Daniel Draper], The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, [[University of Harvard]]</ref>
* [[George Hadley]], first to introduce the effect of the rotation of the Earth in the explanation of the trade winds and atmospheric circulation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Who was George Hadley? – Famous Geographers |url=https://thegeoroom.com/who-was-george-hadley-hadley-cells/#:~:text=Hadley%20focused%20on%20deducing%20patterns%20in%20temperature%20and%20pressure%20patterns%20and%20discovered%20a%20few%20general%20trends |website=The Geo Room | date=4 June 2023 |access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref>
* [[Anna Mani]], Indian physicist and meteorologist who made contributions to the field of meteorological instrumentation, conducted research, and published numerous papers on solar radiation, ozone, and wind energy measurements.<ref name="hindu_2001_10_14">{{cite news|last=Sur|first=Abha|title=The Life and Times of a Pioneer|url=http://hindu.com/2001/10/14/stories/1314078b.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413141835/http://hindu.com/2001/10/14/stories/1314078b.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 April 2014|accessdate=7 October 2012|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=14 October 2001}}</ref>
* [[Sverre Petterssen]], member of the Norwegian School of Meteorology and later one of the three team leaders of [[James Stagg]] for the [[Normandy landings]].<ref>Fleming, James Rodger. "Sverre Petterssen, the Bergen School, and the forecasts for D-Day." ''Proceedings of the International Commission on History of Meteorology'' 1.1 (2004): 75–83. [http://www.meteohistory.org/2004proceedings1.1/pdfs/08fleming.pdf]</ref>
* [[James Stagg]], RAF meteorologist who was responsible for three teams of meteorologists predicting a lull for June 6, 1944, which allowed the landings in Normandy.<ref>{{cite news |last=Buttle |first=Cameron |date=5 June 2019 |title=The RAF weathermen who helped save D-Day |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-48498383 |work=BBC Scotland |access-date=9 June 2019}}</ref>
* [[Carl-Gustaf Rossby]], was a Swedish meteorologist foremost known for identifying and characterizing the waves seen in [[jet streams]] as well as in the [[westerlies]] in the earth's atmosphere, known as [[Rossby wave]]s, or planetary waves. Rossby was featured on the cover of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine on December 17, 1956, for his contributions to the field.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19561217,00.html|title=Time Magazine Cover: Carl-Gustaf Rossby|date=December 17, 1956|access-date=March 5, 2020}}</ref> The highest award of the [[American Meteorological Society]], of which Rossby was also a recipient in 1953, is named after him ([[Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal]]).
* [[Ted Fujita]], a Japanese meteorologist well known for his studies on tornadoes and downburst, and the invention of the Fujita scale. He first studied the nuclear bomb dropped on [[Fat Man|Nagasaki]], which helped his future research on [[Downburst|downbursts]]. He did very detailed studies on multiple tornado events, giving detailed descriptions on how tornadoes form and become strong.<ref name="BAMS">{{cite journal |date= January 1, 2001 |title=A Tribute to the Works of T. Theodore Fujita |journal=[[Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society]] |language=en-us |publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]] |volume=82 |issue=1 |doi=10.1175/1520-0477-82.1.fmi |doi-access=free | df = dmy-all}}</ref>
* [[Joshua Wurman|Josh Wurman]], is a researcher in meteorology, for instance as a lead scientist of the [[VORTEX2]] project. He is also a meteorologist on the Discovery Channel's ''[[Storm Chasers (TV series)|Storm Chasers]]'' series.<ref>{{cite web |author= |title=Schreiner Welcomes Tornado Chaser Dr. Joshua Wurman |date=2 October 2019 |url=https://schreiner.edu/schreiner-welcomes-tornado-chaser-dr-joshua-wurman/ |publisher=Schreiner University |access-date=2023-12-03}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Weather forecasting]]
*[[National Weather Service]]
*[[Certified Consulting Meteorologist]]
*[[List of meteorologists]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Meteorologists| ]]
[[Category:Science occupations]]