For those of you who have read all my posts, you know that I’ve written about this topic before (here).   But I’m going to revisit it today.

This is a question that I think is in a lot of young (and even some older) meteorology minds today.    The scope for meteorology jobs are becoming less as I’ve said time and time again.   And I feel it’s only going to get worse.   I feel the days of just being a regular ole “forecaster” are trending lower in the private industry.   Yea, that’s a hard one to swallow.

Companies are just not hiring when there are so many vendors out there that are offering dirt cheap weather services.   And those that are currently forecasters are clinging on hoping for any upward mobility because there is rarely an opportunity to advance any place else.

I think young meteorologists/graduates immediately need to start adding to their skill set.  Whether it’s programming, modeling, a masters/PHD degree in meteorology, or an MBA…I think it’s important to bring more to the table.

Talk is cheap.  So I’ve decided to take my own advice above…and I’ve applied and have been accepted to the USC Executive MBA program at the Marsall School of Business.  Fortunately for me, it’s ranked in the top 10 and it’s close to home.   And I’m really excited to broaden my skill set.

Honestly, I feel that I am too niche just being a meteorologist.   I’d like to explore options in energy trading, real estate, and angel investing.  So that is going to be my focus and I’m going to use this program to help me broaden my skill set, and enhance my network within my local area.

The meteorology job outlook is continuing to evolve.   But this is the first time in my career that I have seen the supply/demand balance complete out of whack with many meteorologists waiting on the sidelines.  Trust me, I get emails every week from young mets that are desperately looking for work and figuring out ways to stand out.   And I honestly don’t see it changing too much in the future, especially on the operational forecasting side.

I think there are a couple of options on the MBA side.  I won’t get into too much detail.  But if you are young (under 30) and you want to switch careers…try and get into a full time MBA…hopefully in the top 20.   And then use your summer internships to get you in the door at various companies…whether in or outside of meteorology.

If you have more than 8 years of work experience and some management under your belt, it might be worth exploring the executive mba.   It’s not necessarily for those who want to switch careers, but many are using it these days to broaden their skill set, network with others, and continue to work at the same time.

And then some programs offer a part time MBA where you can spread out the full time MBA over 3 years and work at the same time.  All these MBA programs are expensive so financial planning is definitely important.

Bottom line,  I am not trying to spell doom and gloom for meteorology in this post.  I just want folks to understand that it’s important to consider a back up plan given current fundamentals.  And ensure that your skill set is broad enough that you can explore other industries as well in case meteorology does not work out.

Questions….Comments….Thoughts?

As meteorologists, we tend to use a variety of clever techniques to communicate the likelihood of a future weather event.    Sometimes we use percentages (probability of 10%, 20%, 50%).   I’ve heard meteorologists say “there’s a 50% chance of rain today”.   Eek!

Why do we do this?  Is it to cover our asses?   Perhaps.  Is it for liability purposes?  Eh, possibly.  Or is it that the modeling is not clear?   Or it could just be the type of unsettled weather pattern we are forecasting for.   Yes, all above the above may be true.

We know weather is not a perfect science.   And that our accuracy in providing weather forecasts (for those operational/TV forecasters) sets a perception in the market.   “Oh that meteorologist is great, he/she nails the forecast every time”.   So obviously we all want to be accurate.  We all want to be respected.  We all want to have a positive perception in the market.

In my previous post, I talked about how we should make our weather forecasts trade actionable.  Bottom line, I’d like to see percentages in operational weather forecasting disappear.    I think we’re better than that.  I’m also not saying that all meteorologists do this, but it’s definitely out there!

No more, “There’s a 50% chance it’s going to rain tomorrow”.  It’s my biggest pet peeve.  Elementary school kids can say the same thing that there’s a 50/50 chance of rain.

If I told an energy trader that there’s a 50% chance there will be a heat event in Philadelphia in 7 days, they wouldn’t even listen to me.    Even if I said there’s a 60 or 70% chance, he would probably say, “What does that really mean? Are you calling it or not?”

There also tends to be confusion on what the percentage actually means.   When I spoke to a friend about this, he thought that 30% chance of rain actually means that 30% of his coverage area will have rain, while the other 70% is dry.   While I believe the definition is that there is a 30% chance of occurrence that rain will hit the entire coverage area.

To avoid this confusion and instead of putting percentages that give no real application, let’s get rid of it.   What is the real difference between 20% and 30% for an average television viewer or client?   Nothing.   It all means the same thing, “there’s a slight chance”.

So if you’re not sure, or the pattern depicts scattered showers, I think it’s best to say or write, “Scattered showers anticipated”.   Or “Isolated showers likely”.  Or show an icon that has a slight bit of sunshine with rain.  Most viewers and clients know that rain will be on/off especially if you communicate it properly.

I think percentages in weather are only useful when providing climate information for a city.  For example,  Fargo, ND has seen a 15% increase in snowfall year on year.”  Boom, a real application of why a percentage is important.   But in operational forecasting, I think we should get rid of percentages and move forward from this archaic form of forecasting.

Do you agree?

Hey folks, in my last post I talked about how weather forecasts should be trade actionable.  Today, I want to discuss what I believe entry level meteorologists should be doing while searching for new job opportunities.

First, we can all agree it’s an extremely tough and highly competitive market out there for entry level meteorologists searching for new employment.   Even for seasoned meteorologists, it’s no easy task.   The market is flooded with meteorologists looking for work, and there are very few job openings.   It’s a case of supply of demand.   And the outlook doesn’t look any better.   So what can new graduates in meteorology do today to not only help them stand out from the competition, but also keep their feet wet within meteorology?

My advice…start your own website/blog/weather consulting company.   Let me tell you the reason why I think this is a good idea.   First, it keeps your feet wet in the meteorology space.  Second, it shows your employer you are  passionate, entrepreneurial, and can put together and manage a product.  Even if you have little success in your venture, I think it is something tangible  to put on your resume.

Now, there are some caveats.   Everyone’s financial situation is different.  Most of you probably have bills, loans, and other expenses to pay.   So, in my opinion, if you have to take a part time job outside of meteorology to help with that burden…go for it.  Although I would not list your part time job (outside of meteorology) on your resume if you are applying to full time meteorology positions.   List only what is relevant to the job you are applying to.   And hopefully this part time job is only temporary and will help put a dent in some of your expenses.

Secondly, yes it does take money to start a consulting company but these days you can build a website, product with a very limited budget.  Also, if you have a meteorologist friend or classmate that has programming experience that you can bring on as a partner (or consultant) in your company, then you’ve eliminated most of your expenses right there.

Now, let’s get back to the consulting company idea.   If you know a couple of meteorology classmates from your school that are all in the same boat and looking for employment….I think ya’ll should get together and build something (while you continue to apply and make new contacts for new opportunities as they arise).

Before you start putting together a product, start analyzing your local market and evaluate how companies utilize weather forecasts for their operations.  How do you evaluate them?  Go to their store, talk to their manager.  Or call.  Most will probably give you a cold shoulder, others might talk to you depending on the day.   But I think it’s better to go there in person…or perhaps make an appointment.   Remember to speak to them about a) saving money or b) making money  and c) free for them ( at least temporarily).

I would start with the “smaller fish” (farmers, retail stores, golf courses, car washes, construction companies, etc).   I think your target should be companies in and around your local area that you can see face to face, at least for the short term.

I think you should offer your service for free for at least 30-60 days.   And then a small monthly fee thereafter if they like it.  Figure out if there is a niche market that you can take advantage of.   Is there a problem that you can solve?  Perhaps these companies are getting their weather from the internet for free?  How can you make it better for them?   Remember, make it trade actionable.   Provide stellar customer service.

None of this is easy, folks.   It’s difficult for even seasoned meteorologists to cold call, build new clients.   Budgets are tight across the board.   But I think if you can find a couple of clients to sign on…it will help make your case to future clients and will also be a good story to tell any future employers during the interview process.    Most of you guys are young and hungry and very passionate about meteorology, so make it happen!!  And remember, continue to apply and network while you do this.   And even better, you get to add this experience
to your resume and stand out amongst the crowd.

Good luck!   In the mean time, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.    (Photo credit: quite-rightly.blogspot.com)

Hey everyone, sorry it’s been a while since I last posted.   I promise to start writing more blog posts going forward.   I wanted to bring up a topic that I think needs to be in the minds of all younger generation (and maybe older) meteorologists.   Bottom line, I believe that weather forecasts for clients today should be “trade actionable”.   Before I get into what trade actionable means, let me talk about the trend of weather data and information.

As many of you know, weather forecasts and data are available for free all over the web.  From NOAA to blogs to private and public websites….weather information is free and more accessible than at anytime in our history.  Anyone can look at models and become their own weather forecaster.    So how does a private weather consultant stand out and set themselves apart  in today’s climate of ‘overexposed’ weather information….be Trade Actionable!

“Trade Actionable” in my book means, “give your client  information (both weather and operational) that will help them make or save revenue”.   Let me give you an example.   In my energy weather consultancy I am currently supporting some West-based power and natural gas traders.   At this time of year, especially in the NW…snowpack builds are critical.   Why?  Well with my experience being on the trade floor, I know that in Q2, potential runoff is what drives prices in the NW which is due to how much snowpack build (snow water equivalent) we get in the Winter months.  As a meteorologist, it’s easy for me to provide them snowpack data, temperature forecasts, vendor forecasts, precipitation forecasts, model data and let them make the call.   But that isn’t trade actionable in my book.  Sure, you are providing them weather fundamentals which is great…but you’re not providing much confidence for them to put on a trade.

After providing the weather fundamentals and data, here’s what I would say.  Based on this above data presented for Dec 2012, I believe we will see less than normal snowpack build in the Cascades, higher than normal precip in the lower elevations, temperature regime of normal to weakly above in Dec with no potential for any major arctic outbreak.   Now that is “trade actionable” information.   I have just provided my opinion and my call on the forecasts on how it could benefit my client to give him/her more confidence to make their trade.

And yes, maybe “trade” actionable is not the “correct” term for all industries for which weather data is required….but I think the value add for independent weather consultants is to tell your clients how it impacts their bottom line and what operational changes they should make.    For example, if your clients are in agriculture and they grow walnuts.  And let’s say you’re anticipating a deep freeze.  You will of course show them the temperature forecasts, surface analysis charts, soil moisture, wind chill, etc etc.   But I think the client will be more appreciative (and you will stand out amongst normal data vendors) if you tell them to begin “watering their plants” at a certain time, and making X, Y, Z proper precautions at a certain time to protect your plants from a freeze on this X date.

Bottom line, make a call.  Provide your opinion on the forecast on what it means to your client, and don’t just present the data itself.  And that also means researching and understanding your client’s operations.  What do they do that helps save them money ahead of any pertinent weather?  What can they do to make money off any pertinent weather?   Sure, a lot of this is common sense for the older generation, but I think the younger folks need to hear this given how much free data is available these days.   In my opinion, communicating trade actionable weather forecasts is what will help you stand out from the rest of the free weather data providers out there, especially if you decide to venture out on your own.  And it also helps that you’re accurate most of the time

In my next post, I’ll discuss what I believe entry level meteorologists should be doing while waiting for job opportunities.   Stay tuned!  (photo credit: acceleratedonline.net)

Hey everyone, apologize for being away for a bit.  I have been really focused on starting my own weather consulting company.   It will be launching next month and I promise to dedicate an entire post about it soon.

Now let’s get on to today’s topic.  You’ve seen this before on some job postings…”Sorry, no phone calls please!”.  Many people wonder if they can still follow up and call to “stand out”.  In my earlier post, “Do not press send“, I talk about picking up the phone and calling prospects.  But what happens if the employer doesn’t want you to.

It’s definitely a “gray area” issue.  I’ve read numerous articles and blogs on this and it seems most people are split 50/50 on it.  Some believe you should follow up with them anyway and show that you stand out.  Others believe you should respect the hiring manager’s wishes and get their attention another way.

I’m leaning towards the latter…especially in the meteorology world.  For example,  you’ll see a lot of “No phone calls please” many times in the broadcast meteorology space.  Why?  Well News Directors are already super busy and they do not want to be inundated with phone call after phone call about people’s tapes.  They want to have the freedom to look at the tape and call you about it if they are interested.  But you want to show your interest and get the attention of the News Director….what do you do?   Well, here are a couple of ideas:

1)  If you’re applying for an on-air meteorologist position, it’s more than likely there are other on-air meteorologists working at the station.  Call them, introduce yourself, and show them your tape.  Ask if you can perhaps meet them in person if you can swing a trip to the area.

Why meet them in person?  Well, the meteorologists will probably show you around the station, the set, and may introduce you to their colleagues.  And if you’re lucky…you’ll get to introduce yourself in person to the News Director.   Now you get to mention you’ve applied to the position…and you’re super excited and you’re just taking a tour of the station since you were “in the area” and the meteorologist was nice enough to have you come.   This is an excellent way to get through the door…whether it’s a meteorologist, or news producer, or a reporter…ask for feedback on your tape and get to know others at the station too.

2)   #1 would be the cool way to do it.  Then there’s good ole email or LinkedIn.  You can ask the News Director/hiring manager if they have received your tape/resume and see if it would be okay to follow up with them in a week.  Hopefully they will respond.

If they do not respond…there’s three ways to handle this:

a)  Wait another week and send another follow up email.

b)  Follow up through the admin or producers and find out if interviews have occurred.

c)  If they don’t know…I think it’s okay to ask for the News Director.  You can mention your name and ask if interviews have occurred for the position.   Yes, you have respected their “No Phone calls please”…but at the same time, you’ve sent them an email (or multiple emails) and followed up with other folks at the company.  I think you have the right to know the current status of the interview process so you can move on mentally.

There’s never a perfect way to do this because every situation is different.  My best advice is if you can’t meet folks in person.. use LinkedIn.  If you’re not on Linkedin, you ought to be.

Bottom line, this can be a similar situation when dealing with resumes too.  It’s a very gray area and you have to tread carefully to not make your potential future employer upset if they do not want phone calls.  But at the same time, you need to stand out from the 100+ applicants in the meteorology space.

So to sum it up:  In order to reach a potential hiring manager (especially when they don’t want you to call), I would try to be creative by networking with contacts who work with the hiring manager, use social media/electronic communication to reach them first, and ultimately the phone if the former options do not work.   Studies have shown, that only 5-10% of people are “creative”  when sending their resume/tape.  The rest of the folks  just press “Send”.    Just pressing “Send” means you go to the employer website or jobsite and send your resume blindly without speaking to anyone at the company.  Doing anything else falls in the 5-10%.  Yes you can still get a job by pressing “Send”, but the stats on that are becoming less and less.

I hope those of you reading this will make it a goal to fall in the 5-10% when applying to meteorology jobs.  (Photo credit: collectionagencydebt.blogspot.com)

Sorry haven’t written in a while, folks.  It’s been quite busy as I’m trying to set up something on my own which I’ll share with you all soon!

Given the lack of entry level meteorology jobs out there, many entry level folks are looking for any and all ways to make themselves stand out.   In the last few weeks, I’ve received numerous emails from folks asking whether an MBA in addition to a meteorology degree will help them.  They’re trying to do whatever they can to break in…these kids are hungry and very passionate!

But will an MBA help?   Here’s my take:  It depends on what you want to do in meteorology.

If your goal is to be an operational forecaster…in my opinion, an MBA won’t help too much.  I think it’s better to have relevant hands on forecasting experience rather than a masters in business for this particular role.   My advice is (while you are looking for jobs), start your own website/blog and begin forecasting for your region.  Put your performance metrics on the website and show your skill level.  Anything just to keep you in the game!

Now, if your goal is to start your own weather consulting company or have a career in weather risk/derivatives….then yes I think an MBA will help.  It will give you the necessary skills to manage your business and/or understand finance/modeling.   I think these particular employers in weather risk/derivatives will value that you have an additional finance/business degree outside of meteorology.

And if you’re in going for broadcasting weather on TV or Radio….then I do not think an MBA will help at all.   In TV, I feel it’s all about whether you can drive ratings,  walk, talk and chew gum at the same time.

If you are mid career as a forecaster (at say a large weather company) and you want to break into upper management….then I think an MBA will help considerably on your resume.   And hopefully the company will help pay for it, too!

Also, if you feel like you ever would want to pivot outside of meteorology, I believe an MBA is the way to make that happen.  You will make many contacts at these schools and have access to a very large alumni database of which should help you gain more connections in other fields outside of meteorology.

I also feel where you get your MBA matters significantly.  Some of you may or may not agree with this…but my opinion is if one does not get into a Top 50 MBA program (and I am being quite conservative here), then it’s not worth pursuing it in today’s competitive climate (pun intended) nor worth the expensive cost!

Bottom line, consider what your goal is in meteorology and evaluate whether the expensive costs of an MBA are worth the opportunity cost.   Good luck in whatever decision you make and of course if you have any questions or comments…feel free to use the comment box!  Thanks! (Photo credit: Bestcolleges.com)

My buddy, Tom Pagano, who runs a blog called The River Seers, sent me a link last week that showed government meteorologist salaries for 2011. This includes agencies such as NOAA, FAA, Goddard Space Flight Center, National Science Foundation, Forest Service, NTSB, Agriculture Research Service, DOE, among others!  It not only showed salaries…but the names of each individual, what station they work at, and what grade level they were at.    Honestly, I didn’t realize this data was available to the public until now.    If you want to see where the data came from, here is the link.   I also have a copy of the entire data set…so if you want it, just holler and I’ll email it to you.

I’ll be honest.  I thought government meteorologist salaries were actually a lot lower.  I was quite impressed with what I saw.  Out of the approximately 2800 government meteorologists that are employed, about 1250 make 100K or more.   This means that approximately 45% of all government meteorologists make over 100K!  In addition, the data set showed the average government meteorology salary in 2011 was approximately $97,140.  Quite impressive!

The highest paid government meteorologist (and I won’t name names) made a grand total (including bonus) of $230,911.    Wow, that’s as much as the Vice President of the United States!

The lowest salary was at the NWS…approximately 31K, shared between small town offices in Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas.   When I was attending university, I remember hearing NWS salaries were approximately in the 20-25K range.  So it’s great to see that salaries have moved higher by a considerable percentage.

As I’ve said in the past, government meteorologists do deserve higher salaries because they are responsible for indirectly saving lives and protecting trillions of dollars of infrastructure with their issuance of pertinent weather warnings/watches.  They also contribute to vast amounts of research and data collection (among other tasks) that are extremely important for the present and future.   I think they deserve a lot of credit and their salaries are justified.

Do you think government meteorologists are being paid fairly?  Would love to hear the perspective of NWS meteorologists, too.  Thanks!

It’s pretty awesome to see how much passion there is for weather from all walks of life.   Since I’ve started this blog, I’ve met and spoken to many young students, mid level professionals, and older individuals who are excited and passionate about the weather space.   It’s phenomenal.

Interestingly enough, in the last few weeks, I’ve received quite a few emails of folks who are looking for ways/strategies to transition into the weather industry without any weather education/experience whatsoever.   They want to follow their passion of becoming a meteorologist…it’s commendable!

Everyone I’ve spoken to has their own individual situation at hand.  Some have hit a dead end and want to enter a job/career that’s full filling.   Others say weather is something they’ve always had a passion for and they are ready to commit now 100%.   Some of those folks are married with kids and are unfortunately tied to a single location.  Others are willing to move and do whatever it takes to make it work.   To each it’s own.

My advice to those who are transitioning into meteorology with no degree and no experience is to figure out what is it about meteorology that inspires you.  Have a game plan and goal in mind….and put it down on paper.  Is it severe weather?  Tornado chasing?  Are you interested in TV, Energy, Wind, Solar, Forensic, Marine, Aviation, NWS/Operational, private consulting, or maybe even weather risk/derivatives?  First and foremost figure out what you like.

Next, I would research in depth the sector you like and figure out what it takes to break in.  To start, you can go through the different categories on my blog.  Also, check out the AMS/NWA websites, job boards, and meteorology programs offered at various universities to get a sense of what type of programs/jobs are available.   Start picking up the phone and calling folks in the field.  See what they like and dislike about their jobs.

For folks interested in TV, you may want to try the online Mississippi State route (if you need to get some sort of credential) a quick and dirty way.  The issue with the online credential (among others) is if you ever decide to leave TV, it’s going to be extremely difficult to get any forecasting job at private companies/government in today’s economic environment.   They generally require a minimum BS degree in Meteorology unless you have many years of meteorology experience under your belt.

Let’s face it, it’s hard for degreed meteorologists to get meteorology jobs these days.   But I would say the ideal field to transition from into meteorology would be Computer Science.   As I’ve talked about numerous times in this blog, companies would be lining up around the block to hire you if you had a Computer Science/Meteorology degree and can code well.

For those folks who have received a BS degree in another field, and are looking to break into Meteorology…I would advise getting a Masters in Meteorology.  It’s two years and if you can get through the rigorous coursework with an internship on the side…you’re definitely moving in the right direction.   Experience matters too…so the more internships you can do while you’re in school…the better off you are.

Bottom line, in today’s economic climate…we all know there are very few job openings and hundreds of applicants for each meteorology job requisition.   That’s just the reality of the market…especially in operational forecasting jobs.  We have an oversupply of talent with little to no work available.  So, I would also caution those who are interested in making the switch to also take into consideration the reality on the ground today.

But it sure is nice to see a very dedicated and inspired group who are passionate about the weather and are willing to bend over backwards, change careers, and go wherever life takes them to achieve their dreams.  Keep that fire burning!

How would you advise your buddy or friend who wants to transition today?

As I mentioned in my previous post, “Is Meteorology turning into Computer Science”…weather companies are on the look out for meteorological developers.   That’s where the hiring from weather companies seems to be focused these days.   If you are a degreed meteorologist who can code in multiple programming languages…companies want to talk to you ASAP.   If you are good, they are ready to throw down some serious cash!

One of my buddies at Earth Sat Corporation is hiring for two positions.   The first is for a Web Applications Developer and the second is for a Meteorological Applications Developer.   These positions will create new weather analysis products and systems and have the chance to interact with forecasters on a day to day basis.  Might be a great way to get your foot in the door into a large weather company.   EarthSat is also a leader in the energy weather business…and it’s a great way to meet a lot of their energy trading clients too.

Folks, there are many other companies I know trying to fill these types of roles.   I’ll be happy to help as best I can.   Email me (or respond in the comments section below) and I’ll hook you up directly with the hiring managers.  I’m always an advocate to push for weather companies to hire talented meteorologists….even if they are for developer positions.

Let me know if you are interested?! (Photo credit: Bevan Colless)

I thought I had covered most meteorology career paths, until one of my blog visitors reminded me of the very important work of forensic meteorologists. Forensic meteorologists are useful in reconstructing past weather events at a certain time and location.   We’re all used to ‘meteorologists’ forecasting the weather…but forensic meteorologists are experts in knowing what weather has already occurred.

Most forensic meteorologists are private consultants, or work in part of a group at large weather companies.  The data compiled by a Forensic Meteorologist is typically used by lawyers, insurance companies, airlines, or government agencies.   And these are generally the specific sectors that will usually hire forensic meteorologists for any analysis/reconstruction work that would need to be performed.

Forensic meteorologists are largely responsible for helping in civil cases around the country…and sometimes even criminal cases.   It’s pretty fascinating how meteorologists can be used for so many legal proceedings.

Let’s just take a few examples…

1) Murder Trial:  About 10 years ago in the state of NY…a man was accused of murdering 2 people to death.  Part of the accused murder’s alibi was that a cut on his hand did not happen at the time of the murder…but when he was snowboarding with his son.  So a meteorologist was called to determine if there was any snow on the ground at the time (and if it was indeed snowing).   Once a forensic meteorologists identified the facts…it was determined there was no snow, and it was raining.  It was also determined that light rain was significant enough to melt any snow.  Therefore, it was determined the accused murderer was lying and, the jury convicted the accused of murder.   Wow!

2) Car Accidents:   Forensic meteorologists are generally involved in analyzing many car accidents that are blamed/or due to a weather event.  From icy road conditions, to flooding on the roadways,  to glare from the Sun,  or even foggy conditions reducing visibilities are some of the examples that have occurred.  This makes forensic meteorology work very important to insurance companies who are gauging whether weather was to blame in an accident (or if the driver was at fault).

And  of course there are many more examples of how forensic meteorology is used today.  To see a list of more samples of cases, you can visit Weather Consultants website, here.

But here’s what I’m baffled about. And just so you’re aware in advance…what I’m about to share with you will probably make your jaw drop.  According to the website Law Crossing….a 4 year BS degreed forensic meteorologist on average makes just under $1.5M annually!?  A 4 year MS degreed forensic meteorologists makes over $1.5M annually!?   And a PHD forensic met apparently brings in over $2M annually!!

Oh wow, are we all in the wrong weather sector or this information completely ludicrous??  In case you think I’m making this up…here’s the link where I found this information.   I’m personally not buying this (or maybe it’s the case for a select few)…but then again I’d like to be given confirmation this is wrong by an actual forensic meteorologist.

Professional Forensic meteorologists out there….is this salary range accurate? And in addition to the salary range, feel free to offer any perspectives for how a young graduate or working meteorology professional can become a forensic meteorologist. Thanks!