Rainman

The Euro has been exhibiting a lot of NAM-like behavior since the last update. I don't know what they did, but they need to undo it.

how much for philly

Sorta disappointed at the lack of heavy hitting science in these AFDs tonight. The plains and midwest offices usually go all out in their AFDs in big-time scenarios. To be fair, I think the AFD is the flagship product of a lot of central US offices. Not sure if that's the case out east. Don't mind me, I'm just browsing your thread.

Outgoing longwave radiation is dominant in the radiation budget during the arctic winter, so the relative effect of the greenhouse gas effect would actually be be maximized right now. That alone would suggest that some kind of indirect effects are likely elsewhere on the globe, although I have no idea what they would be or if they even matter. My guess is that the biggest and most immediate impact of the methane release was a skyrocketing of the frequency of the words "skeptic" and "alarmist" on the internet.

Thank you for that feedback.

It's hard to think this hasn't been brought up already, but people with degrees in the atmospheric sciences are among the most employed in the country. It goes without saying that not all the jobs in which these people are working are in meteorology. Better advice might be to reconsider WORKING in meteorology, since it's next to impossible to find a job in the field. Majoring in meteorology, on the other hand, is a brilliant idea if you like having a job.

It is common knowledge that schools are graduating more students than there are jobs, and by a very large margin compared to other fields. Combined with the competitive nature of meteorology to begin with, not to mention the economy right now, this does make meteorology one of the most competitive fields out there. It's hard to be an astronaut, too. And don't even get me started on trying to be an NFL quarterback. Meteorology is a dream career for many, and that's another big reason for the stiff competition. You're up against people with a major passion for job they're applying for. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. As many have suggested, a backup plan is advisable. It shouldn't be a huge burden to do so, considering that most of the advice given here already entails diversifying yourself and expanding your skill set.

It has a certain weight, but most of the time it's just not relevant. The differences between applicants are significant enough that the decision almost never comes down to the schools that awarded them their degrees. All else being equal, they would take the person from the more highly regarded program - and you should choose the more highly regarded program if you have the option - but it's statistically unlikely that all else is equal to begin with. If a WFO is co-located with a college campus, however, you could obviously have some great opportunities there. You might never work at that particular office, but they still might have a relationship with the meteorology department that could get you some experience or insights that you wouldn't get otherwise. And if there were an opening at that office, then you might benefit from having attended that school, imo. I say that because they would be familiar with that department and would, theoretically, have a good idea of what they were going to get from you. But again, you would still need a superior skill set when compared to the other applicants. So...the answer is still pretty much "no."

I will try to simplify the original rant and some of the comments and advice from others: 1. Get an advanced degree. Plan to go to grad school. 2. Get a student internship or something similar. Getting your foot in the door and making "inside connections" is an obvious plus. This is one of those things that people love having, but people who don't have it often get very frustrated about it. 3. Make yourself marketable. Every applicant to every meteorology job has a meteorology degree. If that's all you have, then you don't have anything. Do you know GIS? Do you know Java or Python (Is there a class or classes offered at your school? Take them! But a whole big double major in comp sci isn't necessary, IMO). Are you proficient in Unix (again, take a class)? How about leadership? Are you president of your local AMS Chapter (volunteer to take on a role, any role)? Did you help some boy scouts get their meteorology merit badges? What about social science? That's a bigger one than most people would imagine, but you'd probably need some help from someone "in the know" about how to effectively market yourself with that particular combination. Any of those things are great, and you don't need all of them. IMO, a math degree is pretty much useless if you looking to get ahead for a forecasting position. Forecasters don't do math. Ask yourself if you are supplementing your met degree with something practical. Meteorology is cross-disciplinary. 4. Prove your ambition. This can be grouped with item 2, but is also separate. Did you do any research as an undergraduate? It's even better if it was published or presented. It's not as if you have to be the first author or even the presenter. Your professors are well-entrenched in the world of academia. More than likely, they could use someone to do some grunt work for them for their research. If you're a quality student, they'd probably trust you to do it or at least trust you to help. During your time in the meteorology department, do you have anything to show for yourself besides a piece of paper that says "B.S. in Meteorology"?