Meteorologist - How to become a Meteorologist

Meteorologist also known as Atmospheric Scientist, is a professional who is apt in the scientific study of the earth's atmosphere and its changes, used especially for forecasting weather especially rains, storms, snowfalls etc. He analyze weather conditions and make forecasts, thus play an important role in private firms, such as airlines, or government agencies that are concerned with weather or air pollution. They also teach and conduct research at colleges and universities.

Some meteorologists who are involved in forecasting are employed in metropolitan areas near large airports. Others run weather stations in remote areas throughout the world. A number of them work in planes and on ships. Those meteorologists who are interested in long-term changes in the weather are known as Climatologists. Their goal is to predict slow changes in the climate that might affect food production or ocean temperatures. They may study fossils and tree rings to find out what the weather was like, many thousands of years ago. Physical Meteorologists study the chemistry of the atmosphere or the way radio waves pass through it in different kinds of weather. They make use of various methods and techniques to study a broad range of atmospheric activities. They collect data and evaluate it using scientific methods. On the basis of their findings and analysis they suggest potential applications of the results of their survey and help to find solutions to the problem at hand.

The employment  opportunities  for these professionals are increasing very fast  owing to their requirement in ever growing aviation industry as these professionals are acutely needed in this industry. Besides there will be a continued demand for meteorologists to analyze and monitor air pollution. Because of so many activies involved in the same profession it is being considered as one of the most absorbing yet interesting profession now a days. This profession demands a lot of hard work and effort but at the same time offers enormous scope for the building of one’s career. But on the other hand this profession is such a profession which demands high percentage of perfection, hard work and high level of patience.

To discharge his duties with utmost efficiency, a Meteorologist should be confident of accepting challenges and an ability to understand things as they come before him. They have to look into every minute details of the facts to conclude as precisely as possible.  So to acquire these kinds of traits or to tone up the traits if one already has, one can go for course specially designed for the professional who have decided to choose this as their career.

How to become a Meteorologist?

To be a Meteorologist one has to undergo one or more of the following Courses:

1. 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology or Atmospheric Sciences.
2. Postgraduate degrees in meteorology, physical sciences or mathematics.
3. Master of Science degree or a Ph.D.

Thus a bachelor’s degree is required to start a career in the Meteorology.

Eligibility

Educational Qualification

Candidates who wish to apply for the above given bachelor’s degree should have passed 10+2 or equivalent examination with mathematics and physics as main  subjects securing a minimum of 50% marks in the aggregate in the subjects concerned.

Step 1

Interested candidate has to appear in an entrance test conducted by the various Universities providing 3-4 years of Bachelor’s degree courses in the colleges affiliated with them.

However some colleges/universities also give admission on the basis of % of marks obtained in the qualifying examinations.

Step 2

After completing this 3-4 years of course in which one has to go through all the major aspects one has to take up any of the following Master’s degree course to make his career as Meteorologist.

1. Postgraduate degrees in meteorology, physical sciences or mathematics.
2. Masters of Science degree or a Ph.D.

Eligibility

1. Educational Qualification

To get admission to above Master’s level degree course students should have  passed Bachelors courses in relevant topics with at least 50% marks in aggregate.

Step 1

Interested candidate has to appear in an entrance test conducted by the various Universities providing 2-3 years of Master’s degree courses.

However some universities also give admission on the basis of % of marks obtained in the qualifying class

Step 2

After completing this 2 years of course in which one has to go through all the major aspects of Meteorology one can work for a variety of Governmental and non-Governmental organizations.

Meteorologist Job Description

Meteorologist job include analyzeing weather conditions and makeing forecasts on the basis of their finding out of their analyzes. Their job also include teaching and conducting research at upper level of the educational institutes.

Meteorologist Career Prospects

Meteorologist Career opportunities are available in private as well as public sector organisations. Meteorologist can also be absorbed in public sector, government agencies like defense forces, aviation industry and many private organization like news channels, sports federations etc.

Meteorologist Salary

Meteorologist can expect anything between Rs.20,000 to Rs.25,000 as far as a fresher is concerned. After gaining some on-job experience one can earn as good as Rs.35,000 per month and more.