20 facts about meteorology or being a meteorologist?

Question

or you can give me just one and that would be fine.

Answer 1

Well that's pretty broad, but I'll give you a few things that come to mind that stem from some common misconceptions:

1) Not all meteorologists are on television.  There are a wide range of career paths for meteorologists that do not involve television.

2) Weather forecasts are not perfect nor will they ever be, the atmopshere is too chaotic to predict perfectly

3) Meteorology has nothing to do with the stars or constellations

4) Meteorology is not an easy major in college...it requires advance math, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and physics classes.

Answer 2

That's a good one water that made me laugh.  Here are some more to  add to his to make you laugh.

21. You have a 50/50  shot on you forecasts.

22. You still get paid for being wrong.

23. When you computer goes down just hope you finished the forecast.

24. Yes, doppler radar is almost the same as a cop's radar gun, just alot bigger.

25. Getting up at 3:00am to drive 300 miles to chase for a severe weather outbreak, and getting there and all you get is a nice thunderstorm with a downpour and no tornado is common.

26. Yes people may think you are weird looking up at the clouds in a parking lot.

27. Even if you forecast 20in of snow and the entire town is shut down your the one that still has to go to work.

28. If you happen to be wrong about the 20in of snow and all you get is 5in you might want to leave  that town.

29.It has nothing to do with meteors.

30. Looking at maps becomes a 24/7 activity even in your sleep.

31.Your friends will still call you asking what the watch/warning means and let you know weather is coming.

32.Having a ton of weather instruments in your own back yard is fine and your neighbors don't mind.

33. Just remember even if the going gets tough, remember that you have computers and think how hard it was to forecast with out them a long time ago.

Answer 3

1. You don't have to be crazy to be a meteorologist, but, it does help.

2. People will always remember when you are wrong.

3. People never remember when you were right.

4. Due to the incredible complexity of the atmosphere, it is impossible to be "exactly" right.

5. Most people expect a meteorologist  to be wrong. Even if you were right, they still think you were wrong.

6. The pay isn't all that great but it is a living wage unlike some other careers.

7. The hours are lousy. Especially if you are working rotating shifts.

8. Never accept "free paid vacations" to "sunny" Florida, when a hurricane is headed that direction.

9. Know mathematics.

10. Know physics.

11. You are only as good a forecaster as your last forecast.

12. Don't forget to reset the storm total precipitation map before the following storm comes in.

13. When you receive a public call reporting a "roaring" noise that sounds like a train, ask if there are train tracks nearby.  

14. Snow does not fall at 62 degrees F.

15. Rain does not fall at 0 degrees F.

16. If it is raining and the temperature is 29 degrees F. Don't expect your relief  to show up.

17. Wind tries to blow from high pressure to low pressure.

18. It is not the tires on a car that protects someone from lightning that is inside.    

19. Pigs do fly. Particularly in EF3 or stronger tornadoes.

20. Cars are not boats. They do sink in water.

EDDIT: WR you have several good ones there also. I especially can identify with #33. When I started, no radar, no satellites and no computers. Things have sure changed in the last 40 years.

Answer 4

1.) You need a BS degree or higher.

2.) Strong math and science skills.

3.) Be able to work weekends and holidays and grave yard shifts.

4.) Meteorology is a difficult career to obtain.

5.) Can be a stressful job and tedious at times.

And many others...