There are promos out for a new reality television show on TBS called “America’s Next Weatherman.”  Meteorologists (I know many, am married to one, and am one myself) are generally troubled by the premise of the show.  In general, the show asks a handful of weather enthusiasts to perform wacky stunts in order to compete for a sum of money and a chance to present the weather on CNN for a few minutes.  Meteorologists are often the butt of jokes (“the only job you can have where you are paid to be wrong half the time”) even though they provide very useful (to farmers and others) and sometimes life-saving information on a daily basis.  They are also often the only scientist that news-watchers see on a daily basis.

A degree in meteorology takes a lot of math and physics, not just a pretty face, although the pretty face can help in landing one of the rare on-camera jobs that are available nowadays.  If you are interested in the training it takes to become a real meteorologist, there is a great column at The Vane which describes the classes you need to take, the job prospects, and the negative comments you will get if your forecast is even a little bit wrong (and sometimes when you are right).  You can find it at https://thevane.gawker.com/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-predict-the-future-the-re-1723297960.

Matt Daniel, one of our UGA graduates who is now a broadcast meteorologist for WMAZ in Macon, pointed out this article today.  A must read for anyone who is thinking about a degree in meteorology!

Matt Daniel, UGA graduate, WMAZ Macon television meteorologist
Matt Daniel, UGA graduate, WMAZ Macon television meteorologist