# What, exactly, is a meteorologist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 8, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981 "2005-02-08T13:17:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/1 "2005-02-08T13:17:26Z")
Do all the pretty weather people on my TV set actually have a college degree in meteorology? Or is there some sort of industry certification which defines “meteorologist”? Or is it now just a catch-all term for “on-camera person who tells me about the weather”? Local TV news programs constantly tout themselves as “concise”, “accurate”, “hard-hitting”, etc., but never seem to offer actual qualifications of their on-air personalities. What gives? ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/2 "2005-02-08T13:32:55Z")
AFAIK, all the people I’ve seen in Ireland/UK and France who present the weather are meteorologists. They get to work in the morning as most people do and collect the data provided from weather stations around the county/country and use this to figure out what the weather is gonna be like. The they prepar the charts and what is said on screen as (at least in the UK) they don’t use an autocue. In reality, the presenting of the weather, for a real meteorologist, is not the main part of their job, forcasting the weather is. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/3 "2005-02-08T13:35:58Z")
A professional meteorologist is someone who has taken a degree in meteorology or in an earth-sciences composite program that includes extensive studies in meteorology. A number of television stations employ them as in-house experts on the impacts that severe weather has on the community and skilled prognosticators as to the likelihood that weather system X will cause problems to its viewing area. Capital Broadcasting in Raleigh has a staff of five professionals including one who is a respected colleague in the interagency groups studying how to more accurately predict tropicl storms and their severity. However, it’s not protected in the way that lawyer, physician, realtor, etc. are, and anybody who cares to wear a suit and stand in front of a camera pointing to maps of lows and cold fronts can call himself or herself a “meteorologist” if he or she so chooses. And those who know will roll their eyes at it. ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/4 "2005-02-08T13:49:09Z")
> [@Ponster](#): > > AFAIK, all the people I’ve seen in Ireland/UK and France who present the weather are meteorologists. Not necessarily. Sian Lloyd’s degree is in [Celtic studies](http://politics.guardian.co.uk/libdems/story/0,9061,1224246,00.html) and she had [no particular background](http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/justthejob/takeitfromme/star_sianl.shtml) in meteorology. Your generalisation will however be true about the BBC’s weather presenters. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/5 "2005-02-08T14:35:16Z")
Interesting you should bring this up. From an article printed in[The Dallas Morning News](http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/020505dnmetmet.589e6.html) (registration required): > [@](#): > > A bill in the Texas Legislature questions the credibility of some forecasters and has raised temperatures in the weather business. The proposed legislation spotlights a profession based on imperfect science but highly dependent on accuracy and trust. > > State Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, launched a storm of controversy after introducing a bill Jan. 25 that would prohibit weather forecasters from calling themselves meteorologists on TV, radio or in print, unless they have the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from an accredited program. > > So while forecasters can’t be punished for blowing a five-day outlook, those who identify themselves as meteorologists without proper credentials would face a misdemeanor charge. > > The proposed law is the first of its kind nationally, according to the American Meteorological Society. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/6 "2005-02-08T14:50:24Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Interesting you should bring this up. > > From an article printed in[The Dallas Morning News](http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/020505dnmetmet.589e6.html) (registration required): I wonder if there is a certifying agency? How does the AMS feel about this? Hmm… I’ll have to ask my buddy. I’ll report back later. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/7 "2005-02-08T14:57:43Z")
And though no one asked - a person who studies meteors and especially meteorites is called a **meteoriticist**. It was a story that had to be told. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/8 "2005-02-08T15:28:25Z")
Most of the TV weather people in North America have no special training in climatology, meteorology, or geography. Of the dozen weather people I’ve worked with, one was a trained meteorologist who worked for Environment Canada, and worked with me because my station had contracted out the position. The rest were just faces, some of whom took classes or got private tutoring in understanding weather forecasting (so they could say stuff like “We’ve got a lot of strato-cumulus clouds on the weather-cam today” and have some inkling of what they were actually talking about). However, behind the scenes, I work with a bunch of trained professionals with bachelor or master degrees in meteorology, who actually come up with the forecasts, make the computer projections, and feed all the info to the on-camera person. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/9 "2005-02-08T15:47:23Z")
Here in Austin, a number of local stations tout the qualifications of their “Weather Teams,” including various awards and certifications. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/10 "2005-02-08T15:48:15Z")
While Barbarian is quite correct, the American Meterorological Society (AMS) does issue a Seal of Approval to qualified weather broadcasters, some of whom go on to become Certified Broadcast Meteorologists. Both of these certifications require some education in atmospheric science or meteorology (asm) ; the CBM requires applicants to have a BS in asm (or an SoA, until 2009) and pass an exam, whereas the SoA requires a BS in asm, a BS with minimum requirements, or college credit in certain courses, plus submission of taped weather presentations. But some of these guys are all hair and teeth, doing their time until they can become anchors. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/11 "2005-02-09T04:37:18Z")
Update, again from The Dallas Morning News: > [@](#): > > State Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, has decided to let her bill die after starting a whirlwind of controversy in the weather forecasting business, said Dan Sutherland, Ms. Truitt’s legislative director. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/12 "2005-02-09T05:01:32Z")
A large number of TV “meteorologists” hold a degree in “broadcast meteorology” from Missisippi State University. Do not assume that this is equivalent to a BS in meteorology. LM, BS Atmospheric Sciences, U of Wisconsin-MAidison. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/13 "2005-02-09T08:37:52Z")
> [@bonzer](#): > > Not necessarily. Sian Lloyd’s degree is in [Celtic studies](http://politics.guardian.co.uk/libdems/story/0,9061,1224246,00.html) and she had [no particular background](http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/justthejob/takeitfromme/star_sianl.shtml) in meteorology. Sian Lloyd, IMHO, is a “Weathergirl” of the type to appear on a BBC Weathergirl 2006 Calander, as opposed to a presenter 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/14 "2005-02-09T08:42:03Z")
I’m looking for a cite but I know that in the UK (but not in France) weather presenters have to pass Met Office exams to present the weather. Here’s a site with their basic training for those that want to work on the telly ! [http://www.metoffice.com/training/forecaster.html](http://www.metoffice.com/training/forecaster.html) ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-meteorologist/288981/15 "2005-02-09T12:08:32Z")
Wow. Thanks everyone. I guess it’s similar to the term “journalist”. Can refer to your job, or your degree.