Some of the reasons are:
1) It's a smaller group. Larger groups always attract weenies, trolls, and idiots.
2) Lower stakes. We all typically see snow at least once every year, so each event doesn't feel like our only chance.
I majored in in meteorology for a year before changing to journalism. I heard all the same things while I was in school, but I switched for other reasons to another very competitive field. However, I was fortunate enough to land a decent job with competitive pay and benefits three months after graduating.