Many advances in meteorology/atmospheric science can be attributed to breakthroughs in related areas of mathematics, physics, engineering, and technology. Supercomputers, weather radars, meteorological satellites, and the latest in other remote-sensing technologies have been applied not only to scientific inquiry but also to weather forecasting.

One broad area of meteorological research encompasses the observation, numerical modeling, and prediction of weather systems such as hurricanes, severe storms, and heavy snow events. Other meteorologists/atmospheric scientists perform research in such diverse areas as atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric electricity, climate modeling, climate change, turbulence, planetary atmospheres, precipitation physics and sun-earth interactions. Interdisciplinary research efforts focus on national initiatives in earth system science, global change, acid rain, the "ozone hole" and several other areas of concern.

Historically, meteorologists have been at the forefront in the use of computers for data handling, modeling, data analysis, and the graphical display of results. Because of the collection and analysis of a vast amount of data from around the world and the numerical simulation of meteorological and climatological processes, supercomputers and the latest advanced mathematical techniques are an integral part of the science of the atmosphere.

Related Information:

Career Resources for Meteorologists

Careers in Meteorology and Oceanography

Curricular Guide of the American Meteorological Society

Employment Announcements in Atmospheric Sciences

National Weather Service Offices

Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) Program of UCAR