Expert: Donald Rosenfeld - 5/22/2002

Question
I'm 16 years old and i'm taking my GCSE's this month. Other teachers and even people in the Met office have recomended that I take physics and maths in further education. My problems is that although i'm predicted a C or above in maths, i'm not very confident in it. Will i need to study it?
Is there annother way of studying or having a job in the weather services?
Please help.I've wanted a job involving weather for as long as i remember.
       Sincerely
           Lucy Wiltshire

Answer
Hi Lucy

Here is how I answered the same type question a few months agao. See if it helps you. Let me know if you still have questions.

Name:carolyn jorgensen
Subject: working in meteorolgy
Question -
My daughter is 17 and graduating High school this year.  From a very eary
age, about 7, she always watched the weather channel.   She learned more
and more each day remembering everything she learned.  She could tell us
things about the weather including many little facts, that the weather
channel use to give.  Anyway, she has always wanted to be a meteorologist.
However, she has been discouraged these last few years, since math is not,
I repeat not her subject.  At least not algebra.  Therefore she does not
believe that she will ever be able to go into that field.  I would like to
know of positions available in that field, and whether math is a crucial
factor in making this determination and where I can go to get some
information on which direction she should be taking.  She is a beautiful
girl and I told her they would probable try to make a pretty blonde
weather girl out of her, that is not what she wants.  Any information on
directions to take would be very helpful.

We live in Lagrange, Georgia, about and hour south of Atlanta.  Thank you.
Answer -
Hi Carolyn:

There are sectors of Meteorology that are possible to participate in that
do not require advanced math. As an example: weather observer, weather
instructor for grades 1 through 10, radio or tv weather person, armed
forces Meteorologist junior.

I think the real issue would be: how professional does your daughter want
to be (the more professional, the more math needed).

If she wants to go far in the field she should get tutored in math and
take math on as an outside school hobby so as to grind through this mental
obstacle. This should be a test to see how much she really loves weather!!

As to algebra, she should look at different text books to find one that
expresses algebra in ways that she would understand.

One book she should get is:

Practical Algebra: A Self-Teaching Guide,
2nd Edition
by Peter H. Selby, Steve Slavin,

Paperback - 336 pages 2 edition (February 14, 1991)
John Wiley & Sons; ISBN: 0471530123

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0471530123.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif


For more on becoming a Meteorologist, see:

http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS/policy/bachelor.html

http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS/atmoscareers/index.html

http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS/pubs/careers.html

http://www.tvweather.com/tv_univ.htm

http://www.radix.net/~bobg/faqs/schfaq.html

http://www.oswego.edu/Acad_Dept/a_and_s/earth.sci/meterol/req.htm

Hope this helps!!