A meteorologist is one of the rarest and most romantic professions. After all, its representatives are indispensable participants in various expeditions; they spend winters at polar stations. Most often they work in sparsely populated areas, aboard liners, ships, planes, etc. Representatives of this profession can be in places that are not accessible to mere mortals. However, in reality, this work is not as romantic and easy as it might seem at first glance to a naive graduate or an adult who wants to get a new qualification. What are its features? And what does it mean to be a meteorologist?
Definition
In short, a meteorologist is a specialist who studies weather phenomena. This work, although it is very popular, still does not belong to the category of highly paid. The duties of representatives of this profession are to monitor the changes that occur in the atmosphere. In the process of their work, meteorologists use various technical devices, as well as receive additional information from space satellites.
A meteorologist is one who, based on available data, compiles weather forecasts for different periods of time, and also calculates the time of occurrence of natural disasters. Observations are carried out at different times of the day - the working day of representatives of this profession can not be called normalized. In the event that the weather station is located far from the village or city, meteorologists work in shifts. In addition, the meteorologist is a specialist in environmental research. The data obtained by weather forecasters in the course of their work is important for a wide variety of areas of activity: aviation, construction, shipping, and agriculture.
Required Qualities
In order to successfully fulfill their duties, a representative of this profession must possess several important qualities:
- the ability to think analytically;
- penchant for the natural sciences;
- attentiveness and erudition;
- excellent memory;
- the ability to concentrate for a long time;
- good health, as well as stamina.
How to get a profession?
To get the profession of a meteorologist, you must graduate from a university specializing in this profile. For example, such an educational institution is in St. Petersburg. This is the Russian State Hydrometeorological University. But in addition to specialized universities of this specialty, they are taught in any educational institution where there is a department of geography. Those who want to devote their lives to this profession need to be educated in one of the following areas:
- geography;
- applied hydrometeorology;
- cartography and geoinformatics.
Features of work
One of the main personal qualities that every representative of this profession should have is objectivity. A meteorologist is one who, in most cases, makes observations alone. The data received by him, there is no way to verify or correct in the future. Therefore, objectivity should be the main principle in the work of every meteorologist - both in the process of observation and during the processing of records.
Another feature of this work is its constant concentration on changes in nature. Few people know that the forecasts of meteorologists are compiled for a long time - the employee must watch the weather for hours without the possibility of at least temporarily distracting and doing other things.
However, it is difficult to find such an international profession. After all, monitoring an ever-changing atmosphere is impossible without international cooperation. Natural phenomena arise regardless of state borders, and data exchange occurs on the territory of the entire planet. The results of observations of a meteorologist should be compared using a single system of measures for the whole world, one observation methodology for all states.
What is interesting work of a meteorologist?
Weather is never constant, and its changes are subject to complex patterns. No matter how calm the sky above your head may seem, changes can collapse at any moment. A meteorologist never works with the same situation, because the weather phenomena are so diverse that no one made two identical weather maps. Another interesting feature of the work of meteorologists is that they have colleagues around the globe. As a rule, representatives of this profession, regardless of citizenship and nationality, easily find a common language with each other.
A huge variety of materials, as well as the abundance of digital data received - is another feature of this profession. Meteorologists can not do without the use of various digital technology, as well as methods of mathematical statistics. As you know, representatives of this field need good engineering and mathematical training. About a quarter of the total academic time in universities at the faculty of meteorology is occupied by physical and mathematical disciplines.
Other directions
Meteorologist's Day is celebrated worldwide on March 23. But it is celebrated not only by meteorologists themselves, but also by representatives of some related professions directly related to meteorology. For example, the professions of meteorologist-technician and technician-aerologist are becoming increasingly popular.
A meteorologist-technician may have different duties, depending on which station he works at. For example, he can carry out observations of the atmosphere, engage in maintenance and repair of equipment, compile tables for observations, process materials received by a meteorologist, and prepare data for the media and other consumers.
Aerologic technicians work mainly with instruments for sensing and studying various layers of the atmosphere. They measure temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure.