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Scientists track a hurricane on a weather map.

that “weather observers record atmospheric measurements at nearly 10,000 surface weather stations around the world and several thousand ships at sea. They release weather balloons at more than 500 stations to make upper-air measurements. Radar, aircraft, and satellites also are used to collect data on what is happening in the atmosphere.” Once all this information is collected, sophisticated computer models are used to evaluate the data and create possible scenarios of what will happen weather-wise in the next hours and days. In the United States, operational meteorologists who work at the main office of the National Weather Service (NWS) analyze and use their scientific knowledge to revise these models to create guidance forecasts for the entire country. These forecasts are then sent to NWS local offices, where meteorologists fine-tune the predictions (by using new data and their knowledge of their area to create forecasts for their region or specific metropolitan areas). These forecasts are then utilized and revised (as needed) by broadcast (e.g., radio, television) meteorologists and those in the private sector (who provide forecasting services for airlines, trucking

What Do Meteorologists Do?

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