If you read this blog often, you may be passionate about meteorology. If you want to turn your hobby into your profession, you must know all the guidelines to learn how to be a meteorologist. Here in Spain there are various specialties and studies that can lead you to be a good meteorologist. First you must know where you should study and how much you are going to earn.
Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you how to be a meteorologist here in Spain.
What is a meteorologist and what does he do?
The image of the meteorologist is the classic one we see on TV when we get the weather. However, a meteorologist is a scientist who specializes in the study of the atmosphere and who can use scientific principles to be able to observe, understand and explain how the atmosphere works and how it affects the Earth. Thanks to his knowledge he can not only explain how the atmosphere affects our planet, but it can also predict their behavior.
With all this, a meteorologist is prepared to understand and predict the weather. TV anchor meteorologists are only a small minority of all meteorologists out there. There are many more functions that these professionals perform. Some of them are the following: they foresee adverse weather conditions such as heavy rains, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Know the effect of ultraviolet radiation on organisms, know the operation of the ozone layer, among others. All this you must know to be able to notify public bodies and take necessary measures.
If you want to learn how to be a meteorologist it is important that you have a great ability in mathematics and physics. And it is that during the study of the career to be a meteorologist you must face processes of data analysis and interpretation of them. There are several specialties when it comes to learning how to be a meteorologist. These areas of meteorology are as follows:
- Climate Meteorologists: The main function is to know and search data that serve as patterns to help fully understand and understand the climate of an area.
- Atmospheric meteorologists: study the movements of the earth's atmosphere and the possible effects on the environment. It has its involvement in production fields such as agriculture and livestock.
- Operational meteorologist: is one that studies the wind, temperature, humidity and air pressure. All meteorological variables are widely studied by this Meteorologists.
- Forensic meteorologists: his job is to work in insurance companies for possible claims. To do this, you must investigate the climate of the past well to present it before the court of law when necessary.
- Broadcasting meteorologists: is the one who works interpreting and remembering the weather conditions for radio and television. It is the classic.
- Synaptic meteorology.
- Aeronautical, agricultural and maritime meteorology: focuses on these activities.
- Research meteorologists: They are those who work in government agencies, military or in the national meteorological service.
- Archive meteorologists
- Teaching meteorologists: They are those who impart knowledge in university careers.
How to be a meteorologist: what you should study
The key question in learning how to be a meteorologist is that you should study. First of all, know that there are two categories imposed by the World Meteorological Organization. These two categories are as follows:
- Meteorologists: they are required to have a college degree and be able to complete the basic instruction package.
- Meteorological technicians: It is this category that does not need a university degree but may have some option to work in this field. You can be a weather watcher, as long as you can complete the basic instruction package.
In Spain there is no university degree to study meteorology. Therefore, you must have one of these careers:
- Degree in journalism
- Degree in chemistry
- Degree in physics
- Degree in geology
- Degree in mathematics
- Degree in environmental science
- Some engineering
Once you have finished the degree, you must take a master's degree in meteorology or climatology offered by the different universities in Spain. If you want to work as a meteorologist for the state, it is necessary that super is a competitive examination of the AEMET. Depending on the small levels of studies, you can choose one or the other position.
How to be a meteorologist: where to study
Since there is no career for it in Spain, you must graduate from the careers that we have mentioned above. After that, you must do a university master specialized in it. Let's see what are the different masters offered in Spain:
- University master's degree in meteorology and geophysics: The diversity of Complutense in Madrid is carried out and the objective of the master is to train specialists in this field. Thanks to this, you can develop your profession in Spanish or foreign universities. You can also dedicate in research centers and companies.
- University master's degree in meteorology: This carried out at the University of Barcelona and its main objective is to provide basic training in meteorology to be able to adapt all the information in technicians and guidelines of the world meteorological organization. With this master you will be able to integrate the various subjects that make up the sciences of the atmosphere such as: physical meteorology, micrometeorology, dynamic meteorology, cloud physics, radiation, modeling, analysis and prediction and, finally, climatology.
- University master's degree in meteorology and geophysics: takes place at the University of Granada. Cover all essential and fundamental aspects of geophysics and meteorology. They are more theoretical but also experimental aspects with modernized techniques used to solve various current problems.
Where do you work and how much do you earn?
You can work in a variety of locations such as television and radio stations, state weather agency, business consultancies, insurance companies, educational facilities, and companies that develop weather forecast software. The military field can also be an option.
As for salary, it can vary a lot depending on the field in which you develop. In Spain, the average salary can range from 1.600 euros to 2.700 euros per month. This amounts to about 20.000-32.000 euros gross per year. In other countries like the United States, the average salary is about $ 43.000 a year gross.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about how to be a meteorologist and what you should study.