Meteorology Job Description
Meteorologists are scientists who study earth's atmosphere. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for meteorologists will increase by 11 percent through 2016, resulting in the creation of 900 new jobs.
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Types
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Operational meteorologists who create weather forecasts are the most common type of meteorologists. Synoptic meteorologists are professionals who create new equipment and technologies for monitoring atmospheric conditions, while climatologists study the history of weather patterns throughout time.
Features
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Operational meteorologists monitor high and low pressure fronts and use this information to make predictions about temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation. Synoptic meteorologists and climatologists typically work in research laboratories, conducting studies to test new equipment or analyze evidence of past trends in weather.
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Environment
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Some operational meteorologists work in weather stations run by the National Weather Service, alone or in teams, studying the readings from tools used to monitor the weather. Others are employed by television or radio stations and develop forecasts that are broadcast.
Education
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Most operational meteorologists hold a masters degree in the field, while a PhD is usually the requirement for other types of meteorology jobs that involve research.
Certification
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Voluntary certification is available for meteorologists, through the American Meteorological Society, for scientists who have five or more years of experience in the field, hold a graduate-level degree and receive letters of recommendation from others in the field.
Compensation
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In November 2009, the average annual salary for operational meteorologists was $88,000, while synoptic meteorologists averaged $98,000, according to Indeed.com. The average annual salary for climatologists was $49,000.
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