catoctin wx Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Unfortunately this is very true, and it is taking me some serious thought about whether it is best for me to major in this, even though I love it. If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life. I would recommend (and reiterate what many many others have said in this thread) that you diversify your degree. If you major in metereorology, see if you can minor in math, or computor science, or oceanography, or anything else. It will be hard, but worth it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catoctin wx Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Sometimes you make silly points over and over again for no reason (hence why some folks get fed up with your posts)--but I agree with you here. It is such a tough market for all levels of meteorologists from B.S. to Ph.D. I think others have alluded to it here--but the best thing one can do is gain as much unique experience as possible in college to standout from the rest, try and get internships during the summer, volunteer at a NWS office, and double major in a different field for backup. I would also add that going to grad school (which most get paid to do) and boning up on your programming skills is a great way to go if available. It also allows you to choose a specific direction or area that you can focus on (radar, tropical, severe, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm8 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I'm attending the University of Michigan next year, which has a Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences program as part of their engineering school, which I think is interesting and might be helpful. I was talking to one of the professors a while back about it, and they started talking about how today a lot of the work in these fields requires some engineering experiences and knowledge that many graduates don't receive at other schools. Right now I'm planning on double amjoring in Atmospheric Sceinces and Computer Sciences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocoAko Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life. I would recommend (and reiterate what many many others have said in this thread) that you diversify your degree. If you major in metereorology, see if you can minor in math, or computor science, or oceanography, or anything else. It will be hard, but worth it I'm minoring in Environmental Science, but do you actually think a minor really helps that much in getting employed? It is hardly the same as a double major and I don't think it makes one much more qualified to do something. Maybe just shows interest/drive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catoctin wx Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I'm minoring in Environmental Science, but do you actually think a minor really helps that much in getting employed? It is hardly the same as a double major and I don't think it makes one much more qualified to do something. Maybe just shows interest/drive? I didn't minor in anything, so I can't really say, but my friends who did it seemed to work out for them. I only said minoring, because double majoring with meteorology as a major would be nearly impossible to get done in 4 years. Minoring in a related science shows a variable skillset that may be of use to some employers. It can also help you get into a grad school depending on what you want to do. A friend of mine majored in Met and minored in Political Science so that he could go to grad school and enventually get a job in the science policy world. without the minor, it probably wouldn't have worked out. a minor in a related field can only help you get employed, I don't see how it could hurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSUmetstud Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I minored in Forensic Science, I've wondered if I could parlay that into something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weatherMA Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [/b] ya thats so true .. just make sure you can get through the math .. if calc isnt too bad, consider at least minoring in math .. Yeah I need to see how calc goes next year. I'm not quite as good at you in math as I think you took BC calc senior year? I'm taking honors calc next year so we'll see how it goes... As far as minoring goes I've thought about what could be the best thing to have as a minor...or even double major..but as another poster said that will probably take 5+ years to do... Are you minoring in anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFanatica Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 You are a lot more noble than I am to humanity. I went into meteorology (and stuck with it) because I love snowflakes piling up at a rapid pace. Yeah, I mean that I'm more driven by intellectual curiosity of my research topics than by money. I do think the whole "improve warnings/saving lives" mantra that was repeated continually during V2 had elements of disingenuousness to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kab2791 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Especially consider minoring in GIS (Geographic Information Sciences) and/or Computer Sciences. Also, don't be afraid to spend an extra year or 2 in college to gain these extra skills. Don't try to rush it if you don't have too. Yeah I need to see how calc goes next year. I'm not quite as good at you in math as I think you took BC calc senior year? I'm taking honors calc next year so we'll see how it goes... As far as minoring goes I've thought about what could be the best thing to have as a minor...or even double major..but as another poster said that will probably take 5+ years to do... Are you minoring in anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornado Lover 89 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Reading through this I realized just how unlikely it will be for me to become a meteorologist. I have a severe learning disability in math (Couldn't pass Alb 1 in high school). Although the pay may be less then desirable I would still go for it because I love weather, don't think I need a degree to chase and notify NWS of any changes in the storms behavior lol. I still would of taken met though just to try it out but no colleges near me (I live in Nevada) have any met programs. So yeah got to find something else. Your guys smarts just blows be away (Pun not intended) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma blizzard Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Yeah I need to see how calc goes next year. I'm not quite as good at you in math as I think you took BC calc senior year? I'm taking honors calc next year so we'll see how it goes... As far as minoring goes I've thought about what could be the best thing to have as a minor...or even double major..but as another poster said that will probably take 5+ years to do... Are you minoring in anything? probably minor in math .. didnt really do that much work in that class (BC calc) and i did poorly but i did good enough on the AP to transfer over Calc I and II .. didnt take any math last semester and somehow aced Calc III this semester .. so Dif Eqs next semester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kab2791 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Diff eq was surprisingly not bad. Fourier series was a tedious pain in the ass. probably minor in math .. didnt really do that much work in that class (BC calc) and i did poorly but i did good enough on the AP to transfer over Calc I and II .. didnt take any math last semester and somehow aced Calc III this semester .. so Dif Eqs next semester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Msalgado Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 You know, if you want to do atmospheric sciences a good route is always to do something like CS in undergrad then pursue atmospheric sciences in a grad program. A CS or engineering undergrad opens up more doors than an atmospheric sciences undergrad and gives you backup options. I'm doubling up and getting an environmental sciences degree and a BS in Geography for the GIS background. GIS is exploding and no matter what that will give me options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Yeah, I mean that I'm more driven by intellectual curiosity of my research topics than by money. I do think the whole "improve warnings/saving lives" mantra that was repeated continually during V2 had elements of disingenuousness to it. Agreed, but this is not a surprise. I think most people would see that. We are driven mostly by curiosity. Its great to try and save lives...and that is a big plus with severe storm research....but in the end, its kind of a fake line. Tornadoes are cool, quite interesting, and relatively little is known about them, so people study them. But potentially saving lives is a nice addition to that field. I will potentially save lives by forecasting a snowstorm more accurately and trying to advance the techniques of forecasting them, but I was interested in the field because I love the power of snowstorms and like heavy snow rates. I think people should go after what they are interested in. We aren't long on this earth, so go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
free_man Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Finally though, if you really, really, really, really love meteorology and absolutely can’t see yourself ever doing anything else and you are still not deterred after all this then go for it. However, I suspect a large number of current met majors would change their majors if they knew the truth about how bad it was which I’m trying to tell you. I learned this in the 90's, best choice I ever made was not going back to finish my B.S. despite it being "my calling" as my parents said at the time. Tough decision, but that is what life is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohleary Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 well you can't live off of 35K a year and support a family. Engineering... Engineering... Engineering... Everything else is pretty much toilet paper degree unless you get a masters. Graduated last year in engineering making 60K a year straight outta the gate Not true. I "only" have a BS in Meteorology/Mathematics (toilet paper degree) and make 100K+ as a Met. Congrats on your windfall but your statement is patently false. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Not true. I "only" have a BS in Meteorology/Mathematics (toilet paper degree) and make 100K+ as a Met. Congrats on your windfall but your statement is patently false. Agree. My "toilet paper degree" is making me 90K+ a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analog96 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Not true. I "only" have a BS in Meteorology/Mathematics (toilet paper degree) and make 100K+ as a Met. Congrats on your windfall but your statement is patently false. Congrats, but how common is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Congrats, but how common is that? In the NWS, it's not too uncommon...GS13s and high stepped GS12s make 100K+. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catoctin wx Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Not true. I "only" have a BS in Meteorology/Mathematics (toilet paper degree) and make 100K+ as a Met. Congrats on your windfall but your statement is patently false. seconded. Although I have a masters degree, I would still be making plenty as Met at GS-13 without it. It all depends on the jobs available and a bit of luck finding them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFanatica Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Agreed, but this is not a surprise. I think most people would see that. We are driven mostly by curiosity. Its great to try and save lives...and that is a big plus with severe storm research....but in the end, its kind of a fake line. Tornadoes are cool, quite interesting, and relatively little is known about them, so people study them. But potentially saving lives is a nice addition to that field. I will potentially save lives by forecasting a snowstorm more accurately and trying to advance the techniques of forecasting them, but I was interested in the field because I love the power of snowstorms and like heavy snow rates. Yes, anything I discover in my research is not likely to increase warning times. I'd like to think so and it's possible, but I'm driven more by discovery than applicability and I'd guess that most in the field (research field anyway) are like that. Doesn't make for a good sound bite or funding rationale to politicians though. I'd guess most chasers are the same way. It's nice that they can say that, through Spotter Net and other media, they can inform local offices of tornadoes, but that's not why most of them are out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAwxman Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Congrats, but how common is that? Pretty common in energy too once you get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baroclinic_instability Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Yes, anything I discover in my research is not likely to increase warning times. I'd like to think so and it's possible, but I'm driven more by discovery than applicability and I'd guess that most in the field (research field anyway) are like that. Doesn't make for a good sound bite or funding rationale to politicians though. I'd guess most chasers are the same way. It's nice that they can say that, through Spotter Net and other media, they can inform local offices of tornadoes, but that's not why most of them are out there. An honest--question, what are the chances V2 would have secured its funding (or the amount of funding it eventually achieved) if it did not include "increased warning times" and "lived saved" in proposals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFanatica Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 An honest--question, what are the chances V2 would have secured its funding (or the amount of funding it eventually achieved) if it did not include "increased warning times" and "lived saved" in proposals? I am certainly not in the know about that stuff, but my guess is that those chances would have been very low. edit: from the V2 SPO, upon reading it again, I think its contents regarding the project's rationale are fair and reasonable: Intellectual merit. VORTEX2 is designed to improve our understanding of tornadogenesis, which ultimately will better allow us to assess the likelihood of tornadoes in supercell thunderstorms and possibly even tornado intensity, longevity, and cyclic behavior. Moreover, VORTEX2 is expected to improve vastly our understanding of the range of tornado structures and the relationships between tornado structure and characteristics of the parent thunderstorm.Broader impacts. VORTEX2 is expected to lead to further improvements in tornado warning skill. It is believed that storm-scale numerical weather prediction must play a prominent role in the initiative to improve short-term forecasts of severe weather; multi-sensor and multi-scale VORTEX2 datasets will serve as a testbed for numerical storm-scale prediction experiments. VORTEX2 will better our understanding of the relationships between tornadoes, their parent convection, and the larger-scale environment. Better insight into these relationships is essential if reliable long-term predictions are to be made of changes in the frequency and geographical distribution of tornadoes due to climate change. Quantification of the actual temporal and spatial distribution of winds impacting structures will enable better engineering standards to be developed. Lastly, VORTEX2 includes an innovative educational component in which students will participate in a series of scientific seminars presented in the field by the many participating severe storm expert PIs. But in dealing with the media it was always "save lives/property/warning lead times" sound bites and that's it; the document above provides a more nuanced and, I think, honest assessment of the project's goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analog96 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 In the NWS, it's not too uncommon...GS13s and high stepped GS12s make 100K+. Right, but of all mets, how many get into the NWS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analog96 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 seconded. Although I have a masters degree, I would still be making plenty as Met at GS-13 without it. It all depends on the jobs available and a bit of luck finding them Luck and willingness to work in strange places some times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Right, but of all mets, how many get into the NWS? Probably a small percentage, especially with the increased amount of met graduates. I'd guess 15-25%. Who knows tho? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyewall Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 This thread is still going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isohume Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 This thread is still going? Apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyWx Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 This thread is way too pessimistic.. There are a good amount of meteorology jobs right now in the energy and commodities sectors, along with alternative energy and met-tech's as well. Not to mention the broadcast openings. I graduated very recently (mid recession), and I can say that a large portion of my class has excellent jobs. We have 3 Wx Risk grads at energy firms, one at a reinsurance firm, one at a global supply chain company, a few in grad school, and the majority of the rest in private forecasting gigs. I think the job scarcity issue is more at play when it comes to general forecaster positions than anything. NWS is tough to get for seasoned mets, let alone kids out of school. Couple that with people who do nothing to further their education post grad (even COMET modules help) and are unwilling to relocate, and you can see why there is a perception that there are no jobs. Broaden your horizons within meteorology and there are opportunities available. When you do get an opportunity, you have to seize it and you have to shine. Working hard isn't enough...you need to demonstrate social skills, show initiative, and demonstrate your value. I can tell you right now that majoring in weather risk was the smartest decision I ever made. Commodities and energy scarcity are huge issues right now, and they will only be further stressed as the population grows further. While many people dream of the NWS, there are amazing opportunities out there if you're willing to just go for it. Commodities and energy are where the jobs are going to be moving forward. I'd argue the name on your degree matters too, but that's more about networking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now