Meteorology has been communicated to the general public for decades by weather forecasters . Both men and women are responsible for delivering weather predictions based on atmospheric studies. However, many people don't know what they study or what their role entails. Many question whether a weather forecaster is more of a journalist than a meteorologist, and whether someone with no prior knowledge of the subject can do this job.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you everything you need to know about weathermen and their characteristics.
What weathermen should study
As we all know, the men and women of the weather are professionals who are in charge of transmitting the meteorological news to the public. From a big heat wave to a hurricane or heavy rain. Meteorologists provide physical explanations of the current weather and predict events that may occur in the next few days.
However, one of the most attractive aspects of this job is the opportunity to work in the media. Therefore, it's not enough to have scientific knowledge; you also need to know how to handle yourself in front of a microphone or camera. Unlike other countries, Spain doesn't have a specialized profession in meteorology. Lacking a specific degree, students must specialize through other training.
There are 3 main options when studying if you want to be a weatherman:
- Study a degree in physics at a university. The profession is divided into 4 academic courses, which allows the study of some subjects to specialize in meteorology. These graduates can analyze the laws of weather, atmospheric physics, and atmospheric phenomena.
- Obtain a degree in geography from a university. If you're studying geography, you can specialize in climatology and become a meteorologist. Your knowledge of the Earth's surface and its physical composition will allow you to do so. For more information on climatology, you can consult this article.
- Obtain a degree in journalism or audiovisual communication. Are you a reporter and want to provide weather information? Well, do not rule it out, it is an option like any other. Of course, you should limit yourself to disseminating the predictions made by fellow physicists and geographers to the public. In addition, you will be able to participate in the interaction with the audience or in the writing of scripts.
However, it's important to remember that media outlets typically employ a team of several meteorologists. In this regard, these networks strive to hire professionals with diverse backgrounds. For example, a communications graduate might focus on improving the audiovisual presentation of a program, while a geographer might focus on promoting a sustainable environment. Furthermore, continuing education, such as a master's degree, can be crucial for acquiring greater expertise in the field. For those wishing to delve deeper, it would be worthwhile to examine the capabilities of meteorologists in their forecasting.
However, our goal is to create a vibrant and engaging space, not just provide training. Therefore, a highly recommended option for entering the world of meteorology is to obtain a professional master's degree, for example, in how to become a meteorologist.
Weathermen: Meteorologist or Journalist?
It is one of the most controversial questions that have been asked in this area. And it is that when in doubt about which professional is best qualified to practice this profession, it has been discussed for decades. The journalist may have a greater capacity to transmit the message since his training in it is much greater. On the other hand, the technical and scientific knowledge about meteorology is much greater in a meteorologist.
Meteorology is a science that must be communicated clearly and understandably so that the rest of society can make good use of this information. This type of news, which is increasingly in demand by the public, should be conveyed more easily. Previously, it was thought that communicating weather forecasts was more complex and extensive, but also more reliable and accurate. The question of who should be the broadcaster and presenter of weather information needs to be considered.
In Spain, several profiles predominate. On the one hand, we have the secondary expert broadcaster and the secondary journalist broadcaster. Both are equally valid, but each has its own shortcomings.
Secondary issuer - expert
This type of broadcaster has more extensive technical and professional training in the field of meteorology, but is not as adept at conveying that knowledge to the general public. One of the main advantages of this model is their technical expertise in meteorology. This training is often complemented by instruction in the appropriate codes, tools, and materials necessary to effectively disseminate, select, and communicate information.
Secondary broadcaster-journalist
In this case, this type of broadcaster possesses strong characteristics that enable them to become an expert communicator, sensitive to and knowledgeable about the media. They have a great capacity to gain the trust of their audience because they are able to present specialized information in a way that is easily understood. Their main disadvantage is related to their background in the scientific field. However, they simply need to know how to correctly interpret the data provided by the source.
It could be said that for weather forecasters, knowing how to communicate information to the public is more important than having extensive meteorological knowledge. In these cases, it's not so important that the person providing the weather forecast is an expert in the field, if they can communicate it effectively. You can learn more about other meteorological phenomena and how to communicate them in this article about cumulonimbus clouds.
Training
One of the flagship courses that most interests the INM is the training of information professionals or time and space hosts in everyday media. The purpose is to teach how to interpret data. This is important because, as we mentioned before, finding a balance between technical knowledge and communication skills is essential for success in the profession.
Experts or sources (such as the National Meteorological Institute) provide the means to transmit reliable, safe, and truthful information to interested audiences, always backed by official sources (like the National Meteorological Institute in Spain). Furthermore, these courses can help future weather professionals understand how meteorological phenomena form, which is crucial for their work. To learn more about these phenomena, you can visit this article on nimbostratus clouds. It's also important to consider that a meteorologist is a scientific professional who can help interpret data accurately.
The objective of the organization of these training courses by the INM is to become a source of safety information and to allow media professionals to know how to understand meteorological science and exchange data in a rigorous and professional way.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the weathermen, their knowledge and how to convey the message.
