Gauri Chhabra
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight, Red sky in morning, sailors take warning…
This is the rhyme I used to sing in a sing song voice at kindergarten… little knowing its significance…
As I grew up, it continued resonate in my mind but with a different connotation …I got to know that red sky had deeper implications and people who could look at the red sky and winnow deeper truths about the weather were called meteorologists.
If you enjoy everything from watching the red sky and deriving truths from it…, then meteorologyis the career option for you.Meteorology is a sub-part of Atmospheric science that mainly talks about weather processes and forecasting. It includes both weather and climate and is concerned with the physical and chemical state of the Earth’s atmosphere and interactions between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface.
A meteorologist is an individual with specialized education who uses scientific principles to observeunderstand,analyzeor forecast the earth’s atmospheric phenomena and how the atmosphere affects the earth and life on the planet. As a meteorologist, one should be able to make use of equipment such as rain gauge, anemometer, thermometer, barometer, radiosondes, and remote sensing instruments in order to measure temperature, humidity, pressure,windspeed, rainfall and air quality. Meteorologistscan be found all over the world doing some very interesting things! They study the ozone layer or air pollution, brief pilots at a busy airfield or take weather observations in Antarctica. They might analyze numerical models, monitor rainfall and issue river stage warnings or fly in aircrafts investigating hurricanes and predicting their occurrence.
Weather is ubiquitous and so are weather men!
Getting in:
As a student desirous of making a career in Meteorology, you may opt for a B.Sc. or B.Tech soon after the completion of XII(Science). A number of universities including IITs offer undergraduate and post graduateprograms in Meteorology.
Post Graduate program i.e. M.Sc or M.Tech can usually be completed in two years after the bachelor’s degree. The requirement for admission to this program is usually an undergraduate degree in meteorology, physics, engineering, or related disciplines.
In case you wish to carry out research work, you may go in for PhD, the minimum education qualification for which is a master’s degree in therelevant field.
For those who want to take meteorology as a career option, Effective Communication is an essential skill to beef up in. Besides, you need to have a very strong foundation in Mathematics and Science.Foreign languages such as German and French can be useful in keeping up with new international developments in atmospheric science.
Course Cursor:
That’s a lot of schooling to go through just so you can look up at the sky and try to figure out if it’s going to rain.Below are a few courses and their eligibility criteria:
* Diploma in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences after M.Sc in Meteorology
* B.Tech Meteorology/Atmospheric Science after+ 2 Science with Physics, Chemistry
* M.Tech Meteorology after B Tech or M.Sc in Meteorology or any other equivalent discipline
* PhDafter Master’s degree in Meteorology.
Institute Scape:
To provide efficient and talented meteorologists to the organizations, several meteorological and technical institutes in India impart courses in meteorology.
* Punjabi University, Patiala, Diploma in Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics.
* Cochin University of Science and Technology, M.Sc. (Meteorology) &M. Tech after M.Sc.
* MS University of Baroda, M. Sc. Meteorology
* Andhra University, M.Sc. Oceanography & Meteorology
* IIT Kharagpur, M.Tech in Earth Science
Eligibility: Master of Science in Atmospheric Science/ Earth Science/ Geology/ Geophysics/Marine Geology/ Marine Science/ Mathematics/ Physics.
Bachelors in Engineering or equivalent in Aerospace Engineering/Agriculture Engineering/ Civil Engineering/ Earthquake Engineering/ Environmental Engineering/Ocean Engineering & Naval Architecture.
* Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, B.Tech and Pre PhD in Atmospheric Science
Eligibility: +2 Science for B.Tech program.
* Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
Career Pathways:
Meteorology is a niche field and the number of vacancies virtually orchestrates with the number of graduates looking for a career.There is wide range to choose from- entry-level data collectors, who may be responsible for reading weather maps and satellite information, to more highly educated and experienced meteorologists. Some of them supervise weather observers; others issue weather warnings, prepare forecasts for a diversity of agencies or media, predict both long and short term weather reports and ultimately run our weather and control centers.
As a meteorologist, you may find jobs mainly in government sector. However some private companies also recruit atmospheric scientists for environmental pollution control. A country’s Military operations such as troop movements, airplane flights, missile launches, and ship movements rely on accurate weather information. A meteorology degree or a degree in related marine science qualifies an individual to perform many weather-related jobs. There are also good opportunities for overseas assignment to military bases and outposts throughout the world. Space application centers also recruit meteorologists as the launching of satellite also depends on weather conditions. The Indian meteorological department has its branches all over India, hence meteorologists are absorbed there.
Here is a list of few institutes in India where meteorologists can find jobs:
* Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
* India Meteorology Department
* Indian Air Force
* Space Application Center
* National Remote Sensing Agency
* Defense Research and Development Organization
* Indian Space Research Organization
While not ubiquitous, a number of roles await the meteorologist in the following fields:
Observation and Forecasting:
An Observer takes hourly weather observations and may launch weather balloons. An Operational Forecaster analyzes weather conditions and issues forecasts or alerts the public of severe weather
Research:
A Research Meteorologist studies effects like global warming, climate change analysis, or the atmospheric causes of severe weather.
Military:
In the military, your career may take you from space to the ocean’s depths, providing observations andforecasts for air, sea, and land operational missions in Indiaand around the globe.
Business Applications
Businesses and utilities, such as electric and petroleum companies and public work departments, rely on the forecasts prepared by meteorologists and climatologists to plan projects and make operational decisions.
Media
Radio and television stations need meteorologists, both behind the scenes and on the air, to analyze weather data and present local and regional information and severe weather alerts to audiences. Newspapers and other publications employ meteorologists to create weather maps and write forecasts for their circulation area.
Education
Colleges and universities hire meteorologists to teach weather in the classroom and conduct research. As a meteorologist, you’ll also find your skills suited to junior and high school physical science.
Other areas include being a forensic meteorologist, who researches and evaluates past weather events for insurance companies and public utilities, exploring the way weather affects people in biometeorology, working for a weather
Pay Package
Meteorology is a rare field of science; hence there are few people who opt for this course. However the career is challenging and rewarding. Salary of a meteorologist depends on his qualification and experience. The Indian Government offers handsome salary to qualified meteorologists from Rs 10, 000 – 25, 000 for an entry level position. The road ahead is full of opportunities as there are many roles that are still untapped.
For those who want to make a career in meteorology, gear up and pull up your socks… Meteorology is a challenging 24×7 job making so true the statement byHugo Emil Hergesell
…the icy layers of the upper atmosphere contain conundrums enough to be worthy of humanity’s greatest efforts. It’s almost as if the weather never takes a day off…
For queries contact gauri_nagpal @yahoo.com
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