About Me

Hi, I’m AJ Jain and thanks for visiting my blog.  Since I was a little kid, I was always fascinated by the weather…. something about weather patterns and how rapidly the weather changed peaked my curiosity.  I didn’t know then how my curiosity with weather would translate into my future career but I knew that I would be doing something in the weather space.  In middle school, I interviewed a local Bay Area meteorologist for career day. It was then that I realized that I had found my calling.

In 1999, I lined up an internship at Fox KTVU with my mentor Bill Martin. He guided my decision to pursue Atmospheric Science at UC Davis and helped me train for my first TV gig.

As soon as I graduated from UC Davis,  I was fortunate enough to land a position at CBS in Chico, California as a weekend meteorologist and morning/evening fill-in.  I became the first South Asian male weather anchor in the US and the highest rated weekend TV meteorologist in the North State region of California.

In 2005,  I transitioned from TV into the private sector as an Aviation Meteorologist.   My role was to forecast the weather for private pilots flying around the world in a 24/7 work environment.  The position was a great opportunity to learn more about world weather patterns, and how to forecast for icing and air turbulence for pilots.

In 2007, I was hired on as an Energy Trade Floor Meteorologist for a renewable energy company in Portland, OR.   I was in charge of the west weather operations supporting power traders and natural gas traders primarily west of the Rockies.    I was also fortunate enough to expose myself to the natural gas trade floor in Houston and gain considerable expertise in (east of the Rockies) weather, climate diagnostics, natural gas fundamentals, and hurricane forecasting.   I was later promoted to Energy Market Specialist—Meteorology and Economics.  In this position, along with my weather duties, I would analyze the global stock and commodities markets and communicate real time fundamentals and economic reports to upper management and traders.

In 2010, my wife got an amazing job opportunity in LA and I made the tough decision to leave my position in Portland, OR.    I took some time off and did some part time consulting work, both in-house fill in support for energy meteorologists, along with advising private equity companies on potential investments in Natural Gas.  Just recently, I have created my own energy weather consultancy and am providing trade actionable energy weather products and services to energy traders who work at different companies.

My personal hobbies and interests include tennis, working out, traveling, fine dining, real estate investing, global economics, politics, watching Sunday football with friends, and most of all hanging out with my wife and baby boy :)

If you’d like to contact me directly, you can reach me at ajain81[at] gmail.com.  Thank you!

  • candacallais

    Nice to hear about your latest ventures. We are expecting triplets in April!

    • Anonymous

      Thanks and congratulations!!

  • Brian of Colorado

    AJ – not sure if this is in your thoughts, but if you ever wanted to go into education, you would be an absolutely amazing resource to a University meteorology program. What you know about the career paths would be of immense value to students.

    • Anonymous

      Thanks so much Brian. Appreciate it. I’m always happy to be a resource for any meteorology departments that need some additional insight. Thanks again!

      Best,

      AJ

  • http://www.facebook.com/sterling.ashby.7 Sterling Ashby

    I was laid off back in Sept 2011 when the Space Shuttle retired. Lost 4 ppl in a dept of 12. I have 3 years aviation/operational weather forecasting experience, 9 yrs rawinsonde and 20+ observing to include manual observations, as well as babysitting and editing ASOS when needed. I am degreed in Psychology and have an Associates in Weather Technology from the CCAF. It’s hard to think I might have to change careers since met jobs are hard to find. I want to work as a contractor like I have in the past at a DOD location. Good blog and keep up the great work.

    Yours truly,

    Sterling Ashby