Career in meteorology: Working with weather

Ranjan K Baruah *

Weather is important for all of us. Most of us are dependent on the weather directly or indirectly. One of the career avenues related to weather is meteorology.

It is a branch of the atmospheric science with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century.

The 19th century saw modest progress in the field after weather observation networks were formed across broad regions. It is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting.

The beginnings of meteorology in India can be traced to ancient times. Early philosophical writings of the 3000 B.C. era, such as the Upanishadas, contain serious discussion about the processes of cloud formation and rain and the seasonal cycles caused by the movement of earth round the sun.

Varahamihira’s classical work, the Brihatsamhita, written around 500 A.D., provides clear evidence that a deep knowledge of atmospheric processes existed even in those times.

It was understood that rains come from the sun (Adityat Jayate Vrishti) and that good rainfall in the rainy season was the key to bountiful agriculture and food for the people.

Kautilya’s Arthashastra contains records of scientific measurements of rainfall and its application to the country’s revenue and relief work. Kalidasa in his epic, ‘Meghdoot’, written around the seventh century, even mentions the date of onset of the monsoon over central India and traces the path of the monsoon clouds.

Meteorology, as we perceive it now, may be said to have had its firm scientific foundation in the 17th century after the invention of the thermometer and the barometer and the formulation of laws governing the behaviour of atmospheric gases.

It was in 1636 that Halley, a British scientist, published his treatise on the Indian summer monsoon, which he attributed to a seasonal reversal of winds due to the differential heating of the Asian land mass and the Indian Ocean. India is fortunate to have some of the oldest meteorological observatories of the world.

As it is a branch of atmospheric sciences hence mainly focuses on predicting weather and climate. Expert in the field are called meteorologists or atmospheric scientists.

Students who wanted to become meteorologists must be from engineering background or science background with Physics and Maths as their subjects. A meteorologist uses various equipment for weather forecasts.

They also get updates from satellites which help them in accurate forecasts as weather forecasts are useful for a variety of purposes.

Some of the special areas are aerology, climatology, aeronomy, agricultural meteorology, applied meteorology, etc. Meteorology can be of great significance when it comes to coping up with climate change.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), under ministry of earth sciences recruits aspirants for various designations through selection. There are universities and institutes that offer courses related to meteorology.

There are special institutes like Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences; Center for Atmospheric and Oceanic Science (CAOS); Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, etc.

Aspirants may get jobs in research institutes or colleges and universities apart from other agencies like National Remote Sensing Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation , Council of Scientific and Industrial Research , Indian Council of Agriculture Research , etc .

Students who wish to come to this filed must have patience as the field is not very popular yet. Most of our students wants to join a job which gives more money but this filed is more into research or teaching which need patience to be successful .

Employability skills apart from qualification are essential to be successful as a meteorologist.