

This program meets the American Meteorological Society (AMS) formal qualifications for the job title "meteorologist" and the Federal Civil Service requirements for employment by the National Weather Service.
#Meteorologist map job professional#
Post-graduate study: BSc Honours degree with Applied Mathematics, Mathematics, Physics or Mathematical Statistics is required to become a professional meteorologist.If you are interested in pursuing a career as a meteorologist or have a strong interest in weather and climate and their impact on human lives, our major in meteorology and climatology is right for you. Training consists of weather observation, operating meteorological instruments and weather forecasting. Practical training: candidates must undergo practical training under the supervision of a senior officer at the Weather Bureau. The course, Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology can be taken at UP, Soil-, Crop- and Climate Sciences - UFS

Meet the admission requirements (APS) set by the university.ĭegree: BSc with appropriate subjects - most universities.able to concentrate well, even under stressĬompulsory Subjects: Mathematics, Physical Science.able to communicate well in speech and writing.Meteorologists work indoors in offices or weather stations often surrounded by atmospheric, land and water maps, charts and models, modern weather recording and evaluating equipment and computers. physical meteorology and microphysics of clouds.

Meteorologists carry out their duties in well-equipped offices and do a certain amount of research in laboratories. Meteorologists can also specialise in one of the following fields in meteorology: dynamic and synoptic meteorology, numerical weather prediction, physical meteorology, or microphysics of clouds and climatology. Meteorologists are responsible for the operation of the data bank and for the design and maintenance of the system software. Before data is added to the data bank it is subjected to quality controls.

Meteorologists must therefore have a sound knowledge of electronic data processing techniques.Īll meteorological data is stored in a computerised data bank. This involves some research and development of new numerical models. Meteorologists are responsible for the operation of these computerised prognostic systems. At the same time a numerical prognosis is made of the displacement and development of the analysed pressure systems. Twice a day the analysis is done for the entire southern hemisphere with a powerful electronic data processing system. These meteorological data are analysed several times during the course of a day for weather forecasting purposes. Apart from conventional meteorological data, a large and growing volume of data, for instance: cloud imagery, upper air temperatures, wind direction and speed which are determined by weather satellites, are regularly received and processed. The Central Forecasting Office in Pretoria continuously receives meteorological data from various weather stations throughout the southern hemisphere. In conjunction with the Water Research Commission, for example, the Weather Bureau is doing research on the microphysics of clouds, the artificial stimulation of rainfall and hail suppression. Research is also an important task of meteorologists. Meteorologists must therefore be well-trained academically and conversant with meteorological practice. Meteorologists are responsible for management to ensure that the Weather Bureau keeps pace with scientific and technological developments, that high standards are maintained and that staff receive the necessary training. With rapid technological development, equipment of an increasing degree of sophistication such as meteorological satellites, automatic weather stations and powerful electronic data processing systems is being used to capture and process meteorological data. The three main objectives of the Weather Bureau are the operation and maintenance of a weather observation network throughout the country, the provision of meteorological advice services and research and training.
