Meteorology career prospects (AI impact? NOAA cuts?)

[WolfStock1]

Hi all,

I wanted to ask about this general subject, since my son is looking into going into meteorology.   What are your general thoughts on the prospect of the future of meteorology, in terms of demand for meteorologists vs the supply of people coming out of school?

One thing I'm wondering about is the impact of AI.   It seems to be hitting some careers hard right now, in particular software and in general engineering - lots of articles about people having a hard time finding work coming out of college, as a lot of junior-level tasks are shifting to AI.

Also I know there's a lot of churn right now due to the political climate - NOAA/NWS cuts; though I imagine that will all be in the past 5 years from now when he's starting out; if anything that might be a good time to start as there may be a lot of holes being filled; at least that's my conjecture.

In general seems like a great field and a great way to serve the public, so I'm encouraging him in that regard.   Would hate it though if he ended up struggling if the field is going to be having a hard time career-wise though.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

[donsutherland1]

I'm surprised that no one responded from the field. More than likely, it's because they also don't know.

Here's a link to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (forecast slower than average growth in meteorologists/atmospheric scientists): https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/atmospheric-scientists-including-meteorologists.htm#tab-6

Although the link was updated in August, it does not appear to fully encompass the role of AI. That's probably because a lot is not yet certain.

But if evidence from early inroads by AI in such fields as accounting, computer science, etc., is representative, AI could reshape the profession, shifting it away from forecast production to risk interpretation/impact communication. Basic forecasting, which is algorithmic in nature, could become far more automated than it is today. The meteorology profession will likely shift the human focus to areas that can't easily be replicated by algorithms or machine learning. At the same time, meteorologists will likely need additional skills in areas of machine learning, data science, and AI training due to their much greater exposure to AI/AI-related tools. 

Depending on when your son might pursue a degree, the curriculum could differ from what it is today. Prospective colleges/universities can provide greater insight.