Ask the Meteorologist

Science Project

xoheather1 — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:29:42 GMT

Hey,

I was just looking around on the Internet trying to find a Meteorologist for my science project, I was wondering if you can help me. We'll if you can I was wondering if you can answer these questions.

What does a Meteorologist do? What does a person have to do to become a meteorologist?

It would help me a lot if you could email me back thanks!

The letter come from United Nations WMO

chejian — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:05:19 GMT

September 1, 2008

Dear Mr Chen,

Thank you for your email. My chief forwarded me your message. After reading through it, I would like to make following comments for your reference, and exchange of viewpoints.

First of all, I fully respect what you are doing, and to some extent understand what you are saying. Since natural disasters like earthquakes, tropical cyclones and tsunami are difficult to forecast, many people including many scientists have been devoting their lifetime to explore methods and techniques to do so. It is very encouraging to know you are the one of them.

Before I came to Geneva, I used to be one of the 33 members of Natural Disaster Prediction Committee of the China Geophysical Association. I knew many devoted people like your teacher and you in China. However, as a scientist and/or technologist, your methods and techniques must be explicable and understandable by others, at least by other scientists and highly educated people. Furthermore, your techniques/methods may need as I can see to satisfy at least the following prerequisites:

1) Philosophical justification;
2) Solid scientific/physical ground (on currently recognized science and technology);
3) Logic consistence (in developing your techniques.methods);
4) Practical application/viability (i.e. people can learn and apply your techniques/methods for their own prediction/forecasting).

Judged by the above four requirements, I guess it is currently difficult to disseminate your techniques/methods to other people, even if you like to do so. Science should not be covered by any inexplicable rules that make people wander around.

In <<Yi Jing>>, there is a saying in Chinese "天行健, 君子以自强不息;地势坤, 君子以厚德载物", roughly interpreted as that a true and responsible man should uninterruptedly explore secret mechanism of the mother nature, and serve all people to avoid possible danger from unfavourable conditions (like disasters) of the nature. Even the ancient Chinese people can do that well, why not the people like us today disseminate what you have to the general people?

Finally, I would advise you that you would better not say anything mysterious in science and technology communities.

PAUL LYNCH

WeatherWife — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:14:54 GMT

Hey did I see correctly this weekend that Paul Lynch is back with the station?? I surely hope so because I will tune back to 21 to see him do his weather..

cold [density] centers, horiztonal

richard583 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:40:18 GMT

Yes, hello.

My question is, ..

Where - exactly, on the broader, surface-level analysis chart accessible via the direct link here next following - http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/Loops/pacsfcf00/unsized.gif / - current at 090223_12z ...

(.. This, or either, where considering any one of those similar, accessible via the direct link immediately following - http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/Loops/pacsfcf00/ ) ..

..... can the main “centers” of main cold air mass - involved, .. be found. ?

__

Other main links related, associated with this material.

http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/Loops/pacsfcf00/Pacific_Sfc_Anl_03_Day.shtml
http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/Loops/#N_Pacific_Products
http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/Loops/#Unified_Surface_Analysis_Products

Appreciate your time.

Rm(richard583)
11:40z - 090224

MORE ON CLOUDS

cooper81 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:16:35 GMT

Compare the temperature of the cloud tops you chose to the temperature of non-precipitating cloud tops.

cloud question

cooper81 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:15:00 GMT

Are cloud tops of precipitating clouds warmer or colder than nearby cloud tops of non-precipitating clouds? What does this mean relative to the altitude of the tops of precipitating clouds?

Why Did Paul Lynch Leave?

justin28 — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:44:51 GMT

Ok, First Shane, Now Paul. That leaves Tommy boy and Rod. Just when you start enjoy watching the weather.. this always happens!

Credentials to be a meteorologist

hilary — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:21:22 GMT

I was just wondering what I would need to do to become a meteorologist. Is there is special school, major, or license that is required? I read the bio's of your meteorologists on your website, and noticed a varied background and educational qualifications between them.

Do I even need any qualifications to be a meteorologist, since it may seem more of a case of being in the right place at the right time? Specifically, I don't understand the connection of reporting on the traffic, then the same person forecasting the weather. That doesn't instill much confidence in weather forecasts among viewers. It would make more sense to have a meteorologist also report on the traffic rather than vice versa.

I would not want to make the decision to study meteorology, get my degree, only then to find out I don't need any credentials. So I just want to know what I would need if I pursued a career in meteorology. Thank you.

This storm

meteorologist — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:21:23 GMT

We have a storm getting ready to come through. I was wondering what the red clouds ment. I know that green clouds mean a possible tornado. So what does a red cloud mean?

The line thinger

Sonic Heroes — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:44:00 GMT

A ? for Tom Russel: (Sorry for spelling your name wrong. I'm more familar with you.) When someone's on, how do they make the line? You know the circles. On the screen thing. AHHH!!! I can't explain it to good.

qustion

babedoll281980 — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:10:57 GMT

HELLO AND THANKS FOR TAKING TIME TO READ THIS IS THERE A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE WILL HAVE SNOW FOR CHRISTMAS AND ARE WE GONNA GET SNOW HERE TONIGHT IN LEWISTOWN PA

Pressure and Weather

Mrs Eisner — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:18:26 GMT

I am a teacher at Red Land High School in the West Shore School District. I watch your weather and news in the morning while getting ready for work.

Currently, my freshmen Physical Science students are studying the phases and behavior of matter, and we will be talking about pressure in gasses after Thanksgiving. As a tie-in to Earth Science, I would like them to research the barometric pressure for the month of November and correlate it to the forecast for each day to determine the pattern. I am having trouble finding a web-site with that information available. I have found sites that give temperature and precipitation for the past month, but no pressure.

Could you point me in the right direction? Do you know of a site that I could use, or do you have another way I could get the information?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Mrs Eisner

long. / lat. movement of cold air ...

richard583 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:42:14 GMT

-

Hello, Weather Team ..

I have a fairly basic question for you.

(... I'll put it as best I can.)

Per your appreciated knowledge, .. just what influences the main, both longitudinal and latitudinal movement of / within .. the atmosphere.

This, that is, either whether "as a whole" — i.e. where considering all elements / main airmass .. within the main, lower weather-producing atmosphere — or either, where considering, more specifically (in point of fact more where my interest lies, mainly), .. main "cold" airmass, looked at alone. ?

Appreciate your time.

Richard Mann
Wx Enthusiast - "Novice"
Paradise, CA
email: richard583@earthlink.net

Hurricane Ike

daybreak — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:17:01 GMT

Tom Russell said in his forecast that Hurricane Ike will not strike the coast. He said "that's good news". Is certainly is, but all other forcasters are not predicting that including The Weather Channel. I hope Tom is right because I'm vacationing on the Outerbanks next week. Does Tom still think Ike will not be a threat?

Why

Sarah101 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:19:51 GMT

Why is adams county in Pa, York county in Pa, all under watches and Cumberland County in Pa isnt Cumberland County Pa is right beside, above and really right in the middle of all these other countys

Thank You

Sarah

Pink Lighting

Mcla77 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:06:30 GMT

I remember being out in the midwest and a thunderstorm came though and I saw Pink lighting were does this come from.

Phil

Weather forecast for farmers

farm1188 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:49:13 GMT

Question for Tom Russell:

Tom,

We a loyal CBS21 watchers but I have to say the verbal forcast from CBS 21 and even the National weather service gives is just downright is misleading sometimes. For instance I was looking at the radar and there was a wide band of thundershowers in western PA headed east and the written and verbal forcast said a 30 % chance of showers but by the looks of the radar it to me like it was going to hit us for sure (100% chance). The storm make it to us and we received some rain. Over the summer months I watch the weather very closely as we are farmers and our harvesting and planting schedule is very dependent on the weather. We raise hay and need drying weather to dry the crop and harvest it for quality forage, if the crop gets rained on the quality is greatly reduced and the crops value greatly diminishes. So as you can image we rely on an accurate forecast and are sometimes discuraged when the weatherman says it's going to be nice and dry for 4 days and then on the third day we have a 0.2" rain which destroy's the quality of the hay crop about to be harvested.

I was wondering if you could recognize this fickle weather gives us fits sometimes and give all the farmer's out there a heads up over the summer months and tell us if there is even a slight chance of a passing or pop up shower.

Thanks!

We would love to chat with you over steaks and forcast and discuss farming and weather trends.

daily sun strength (daily weather report)

sjryan — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:29:15 GMT

As a Kindergarten teacher, we are learning about weather and how to protect our skin during the summer, etc. In past years, the daily sun strength # was listed in the newspaper and also talked about on the weather. How can I find out the daily projected strength of the sun (it used to be isted in numbers 1-10) to post and use in my classroom? Thanks, Sue Ryan, Kdg, North Side Elementary School, Central Dauphin S.D., Harrisburg, PA

RE: Safe Winter Driving

Barry — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:02:50 GMT

Hello Paul! I think a former Lancaster-Lebanon Safe Driving Champion is very qualified to include some safe driving tips in the weather forecast! I also want to tell you I enjoy your forecasting very much! You have a great delivery! ..........Mr. Hopkins/MTHS

SHANE SCHILLACI

Wolfgang — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:24:48 GMT

Where is Shane?

Hot!

firestar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:37:45 GMT

Why is it so Hot?

more on meteorology

mother nature — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:32:50 GMT

My daughter, a high school junior, is interested in becoming a meteorologist. Does WHP provide opportunities for local students to job shadow staff for a day? If not, would it be possible for her, as a journalist for her high school paper, to interview a staff meteorologist? And what guidance can you offer to students interested in pursuing careers in meteorology or just interested in learning more about weather?

Thunderstorms and Rain!

firestar — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:41:17 GMT

I have been hearing about all these thunderstorms and showers for the last couple weeks and have still not saw any of them, it seems like its always tomorrow and that day never gets here?sorry but I just had to put in my 2 cent thoughts.

Why so WINDY??

MattB — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:12:27 GMT

Weatherfolks,

The wife and I were discussing just how windy it has been recently. Sometimes it has taken us all off guard. For example - take this past Monday ... your Sun. night reports showed that it would be breezy, which gave me hope that I might be able to have a reasonable day during my first golf outing of the season. Needless to say that did not happen, and I'm glad I had sunglasses because had I worn a hat it would have flown off of my head multiple times. We are being kept awake at night more often than usual from thunderous wind. Is there a general pattern that is causing this, or are we just noticing it a little more?

FOR SHANE

Joan — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 23:16:39 GMT

;)DEAR SHANE,

Well, I am now out of the hospital, have been for quite some time now, but obviously couldn't get through to you because I had cancelled my prior account with the JMe3186215 @ aol.com due to phishing and the like late in february.

So, that one and the name is down the tubes, it is now quite simple, Js8266@aol.com. I go by Joan instead of Joanie, but you can always feel free to call me by either. I will never forget you, sitting here having some coke cola in your 21 cbs whp coffee mug that you sent me and looking at the thermometer that sits in the window.

I KNOW YOU WERE CONFUSED THAT DAY YOU CALLED ME IN THE HOSPITAL, WHICH WAS WHY I PLACED YOU ON THE PHONE WITH MY HUSBAND DAVE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I WOULD BE BACK ON SOON AND NOT TO FORGET ABOUT ME, JUST HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T SNOW ON MY BIRTHDAY WHICH IS 27 APRIL '07.'

PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW THINGS ARE DOING AND HOW YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN ARE DOING AS WELL?

BELATED EASTER WISHES TO YOU ALL,

JOAN -:}