Day in the Life
 Weather
stations are found everywhere -- at airports, in or near cities, and in
isolated and remote areas. Some atmospheric scientists also spend time
observing weather conditions and collecting data from aircraft. Weather
forecasters who work for radio or television stations broadcast their
reports from station studios, and may work evenings and weekends.
Meteorologists in smaller weather offices often work alone; in larger
ones, they work as part of a team. Those who work for private consulting
firms or for companies analyzing and monitoring emissions to improve air
quality usually work with other scientists or engineers; fieldwork and
travel may be common for these workers.
 Most
weather stations operate around the clock, 7 days a week. Jobs in such
facilities usually involve night, weekend, and holiday work, often with
rotating shifts. During weather emergencies, such as hurricanes,
meteorologists may work overtime. Operational meteorologists also are
often under pressure to meet forecast deadlines. Meteorologists who are
not involved in forecasting tasks work regular hours, usually in
offices.
Beginning atmospheric
scientists often do routine data collection, computation, or analysis,
and some basic forecasting. Entry-level operational meteorologists in
the Federal Government usually are placed in intern positions for
training and experience. During this period, they learn about the
Weather Service's forecasting equipment and procedures, and rotate to
different offices to learn about various weather systems. After
completing the training period, they are assigned to a permanent duty
station.
Experienced
meteorologists may advance to supervisory or administrative jobs, or may
handle more complex forecasting jobs. After several years of experience,
some meteorologists establish their own weather consulting services.
Note:
Some resources in this section are provided by the the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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