9781422270004

energy, insurance, and shipping. About 15 percent of meteorologists work in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences. Employers include companies and colleges and universities. Finally, teaching is a great option for meteorology professionals who are enthusiastic and patient and like to educate others. Options are available at high schools and colleges and universities. A career in meteorology is intellectually stimulating, rewarding, and even fun if you’re the kind of person who gets excited to observe and report on thunderstorms, tornadoes, heat waves, polar vortexes, hurricanes, and other weather phenomena. In fact, 82 percent of meteorologists who were surveyed by PayScale.com reported being highly satisfied with their careers. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN METEOROLOGY Meteorology is a small, but important, field. Only about 9,100 atmospheric scientists (including meteorologists) are employed in the United States, according to the US Department of Labor. Work environments include field settings, laboratories, broadcast studios, and weather offices. The following paragraphs spotlight some of the most popular specialties in meteorology.

WEATHER FORECASTING AND WARNINGS

Weather forecasting is one of the main duties of meteorologists. The public receives weather forecasts and warnings about tornadoes and other inclement weather from broadcast meteorologists, through apps and websites, and via other methods, but it actually takes many meteorology professionals and lots of technology to create these science-based predictions. To create forecasts, the American Meteorological Society reports

What Do Meteorologists Do?

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