Meteorologist

Meteorologists are weather and climate scientists who study the Earth’s atmosphere and how it affects the Earth’s systems. They use observations and computer models to understand and predict the behaviour of weather and the climate.

Also known as:

Weather forecaster

Work activities

Meteorologists are best known as television weather presenters but this is just one small part of their work. They collect, analyse and interpret information and use their findings to advise a wide range of people in government, international organisations, business and scientific areas. They monitor conditions such as pressure, wind, temperature, humidity and cloud level, using satellites and weather stations on land and ships. They collect data at fixed times of the day and from a variety of sources. Meteorologists use data and an understanding of the climate system to build computer models of the atmosphere that predict weather and the climate.

The Met Office is the UK’s national meteorological service. It provides vital services, for example, to the general public, government and businesses. The Met Office has sophisticated telecommunications equipment and is able to deliver weather forecasts very quickly throughout the world. It gives warnings of severe weather, such as heavy rain, to the public and other agencies, so action can be taken to save lives and protect property. Public information includes mountain area forecasts and the National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS). The Met Office also provides a range of vital services to the government. It plays a very important part in how we respond to emergencies, for example, through providing advice on the airborne spread of diseases such as foot and mouth. The Office sends forecasts to the armed forces, such as the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and to air, sea and mountain rescue services.

Some meteorologists work for private consultancy firms, advising sectors such as the energy market, insurance companies, the transport industry, offshore engineering and shipping, the construction industry, agriculture and sports and events organisations. For example, the aviation industry uses forecasts in route planning. Energy companies use weather forecasts to prepare the gas and electricity supplies for peaks in demand. Retailers know that certain products are more in demand when the weather is hotter or colder. Accurate forecasts help them to give customers what they want, when they want it. Sporting events and music festivals benefit from reliable forecasts too. They might rely on a meteorologist’s assessment of factors such as rainfall, humidity, temperature and wind direction. Some meteorologists study the world’s climate, including climate change and global weather systems. Meteorologists use computers to model how the global climate will change over the coming decades. They experiment with different levels of greenhouse gases in the models to see how sensitive the atmosphere is to global warming. Their analysis of global trends forms the scientific basis of the UK’s policy on the reduction of greenhouse gases. Meteorologists use their knowledge to solve problems. For example, they suggest the best places to build wind farms, based on their knowledge of gales, wave heights and storm tides, and help local councils to tackle coastal erosion and prevent flood damage. Meteorologists develop and test new instruments, and communications and data-management systems. They are involved in pure and applied research, in settings such as the Met Office, meteorology consultancy firms, specialist engineering companies and universities.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a meteorologist, you’ll need:

Strong maths skills and knowledge of physics.
To be thorough, accurate and methodical when recording and analysing data.
Computer skills to analyse results and model meteorological processes.
The ability to explain your findings clearly and concisely, including in written reports.
Good teamwork skills. An interest in environmental issues is increasingly important.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Met Office salaries start at around £20,000 a year, rising to as much as £60,000 a year for very senior roles. Meteorologists working for other employers can expect similar pay rates.

Meteorologists in the Met Office usually work a basic 42-hour week, which might include early starts, late finishes, shift work and work at weekends.

The Met Office is the UK’s national weather service. It employs most of its meteorologists at its headquarters in Exeter. Other locations include the Aberdeen operations centre, and forecasters are also based at many Royal Air Force (RAF) and Army Air Corps (AAC) stations throughout the UK and in other countries. The Met Office also provides forecasters to the media. Other major UK employers include the Royal Navy (both in observing and forecasting), private weather forecast companies, and government and academic research institutions. There can be opportunities in other industries, including agriculture, insurance, offshore oil companies and consultancy firms. Meteorologists in research and consultancy might have the opportunity to travel to other countries.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the Met Office website, in science magazines such as New Scientist (which also posts vacancies on its website), in national newspapers and on the Civil Service Jobs website.

Entry routes and training

Meteorologists are graduates. There are a small number of specialist degrees in meteorology, usually combined with relevant subjects such as maths, physics or oceanography. The Royal Meteorological Society produces a list of courses. Many entrants have first (undergraduate) degrees in maths and physics, and it’s also possible to enter with subjects such as computer science, environmental science and physical geography, especially when combined with a postgraduate qualification in meteorology. Some universities offer degree courses with a foundation year. This is an extra year for students who don’t have the specified science A-levels for entry. The Met Office’s usual entry requirement for careers in forecasting and environmental monitoring is a degree in meteorology, physics or maths. You may need maths and physics at A-level or higher. The Met Office also has a science and scientific engineering route, involving the technical aspects of collecting weather data and developing software and numerical models. Usual entry is with a degree in maths or physics.

The Met Office offers a comprehensive training programme, including the Initial Forecasting Course. This will equip you with the skills and knowledge to take up a post as an unsupervised forecaster.

You could progress into a management position or specialise in a particular area of meteorology. With five years’ professional work experience (an MSc might count as one year and a PhD might count as two years), you can apply to become a Chartered Meteorologist (CMet) through the Royal Meteorological Society. Achieving this status demonstrates to employers and clients that you have reached a high level of competence in your specialist area of meteorology.

Qualifications

For entry to a degree course in meteorology, the usual minimum requirement is:

Two to three A-levels, including maths and physics or chemistry.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English.

Alternatives to A levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so please check prospectuses carefully.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter a degree course, you might be able to start one after completing an Access course, for example, Access to Science. You don’t usually need any qualifications to enter an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider.

Funding for postgraduate study and research is available, through universities, from UKRI (UK Research and Innovation).

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