Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Weather Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Weather Coordinator is responsible for delivering accurate, actionable, and timely weather intelligence to internal teams, clients, and operations centers. This role combines real-time observation, numerical model interpretation, radar/satellite analysis, customer-facing briefings, and emergency response coordination. The ideal candidate is experienced with operational forecasting tools, understands sectors that rely on weather (aviation, marine, energy, events, logistics), and can translate meteorological information into clear, decision-ready guidance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Weather Observer / Meteorological Technician
Broadcast Meteorologist / On-air Weather Presenter
Junior Forecast Meteorologist or Meteorology Intern

Advancement To:

Senior Weather Coordinator / Lead Meteorologist
Operations Manager, Weather Services
Emergency Management / Incident Commander for weather events

Lateral Moves:

Aviation Meteorology Specialist
Marine Forecasting Lead
Climate and Risk Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Monitor national and regional numerical weather prediction (NWP) models (GFS, ECMWF, NAM, high-resolution ensembles) and synthesize model guidance into concise operational forecasts for stakeholders and decision-makers.
Analyze and interpret live radar data, satellite imagery, surface observations, and upper-air soundings to detect convective initiation, mesoscale boundaries, and rapid weather changes that affect operations.
Produce and disseminate routine and event-driven forecast products (text forecasts, briefing slides, decision support bulletins, watch/warning recommendations) tailored to different audiences including operations, clients, and public safety partners.
Maintain situational awareness during severe weather events—issue timely advisories, escalate to senior leadership, and coordinate the dissemination of watches/warnings with partner agencies and stakeholders.
Lead pre-event and real-time weather briefings for operational teams, client groups, and field personnel, clearly communicating hazards, timing, confidence, and recommended mitigations for wind, precipitation, thunderstorms, fog, icing, and extreme temperatures.
Coordinate weather support for aviation operations including runway contamination assessments, wind shear/turbulence advisories, and NOTAM-relevant weather briefings to flight operations and dispatch teams.
Provide marine meteorology intelligence for ports, shipping, and offshore operations including wave forecasts, gale warnings, visibility, and icing risk communications.
Maintain and operate observational equipment and automated systems (AWOS/ASOS/mesonet integration), escalate maintenance issues, and ensure data integrity for operational decision-making.
Perform nowcasting and short-term forecast updates during evolving situations using high-resolution model output, radar trends, lightning detection, and human expertise to adjust operational plans.
Prepare and review post-event reports and after-action reviews that document forecast performance, impacts, lessons learned, and recommended improvements to processes or communications.
Implement and follow SOPs for watch/warning issuance, operational handoffs, shift changes, and escalation procedures to ensure continuity of service and reduce risk during transitions.
Manage and maintain forecast databases, archive products, and maintain version control for operational messages and templates to ensure traceability and compliance.
Serve as primary point-of-contact for client weather requests—interpret client operational thresholds, tailor alerts and forecasts, and maintain SLA/contractual compliance for delivery standards.
Collaborate with emergency management, public safety, and infrastructure partners to coordinate impacts and response strategies during weather emergencies and ensure consistent messaging.
Validate and verify forecast products through routine verification metrics, bias assessment, and continuous model performance monitoring; propose adjustments to forecast methodology based on verification findings.
Train and mentor junior meteorological staff, maintain shift schedules, and manage on-call rosters to ensure adequate coverage for 24/7 operations and special events.
Integrate third-party data sources (radar networks, satellite services, lightning networks, model vendors) and evaluate new tools for operational suitability and ROI.
Configure and maintain automated alerting systems, escalation rules, and multi-channel dissemination paths (email, SMS, push notifications, phone trees) for urgent weather messages.
Participate in incident command system (ICS) or equivalent emergency response frameworks during large-scale weather events, representing weather operations and providing technical guidance to leadership.
Liaise with regulatory bodies and meteorological partners to ensure products meet industry standards (ICAO, WMO) and to exchange situational awareness during cross-jurisdictional events.
Develop and update client-facing documentation, weather contingency plans, and risk assessments that align operational decision thresholds with forecast uncertainty and confidence.
Support special projects such as model validation studies, climatology development, automated forecasting tools, and integration of machine learning or data science approaches to improve operational forecasts.

Secondary Functions

Respond to ad-hoc data and analytics requests to support business continuity, logistics planning, and post-event damage assessments.
Contribute to the organization’s weather data strategy and product roadmap by evaluating new observational networks, model services, and visualization platforms.
Collaborate with IT and data teams to translate weather product requirements into technical specifications for APIs, dashboards, and automated pipelines.
Participate in sprint planning, agile ceremonies, and product backlog grooming for weather product development and operational tool enhancements.
Support outreach and education programs—prepare content for client workshops, staff training, and community preparedness initiatives.
Assist in procurement and vendor management for meteorological software, data feeds, and equipment service contracts.
Maintain documentation of operational procedures, technical manuals, and training guides to support knowledge transfer and regulatory compliance.
Coordinate cross-functional drills and exercises to test communication channels, escalation procedures, and end-to-end weather response workflows.
Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as forecast lead time, alert delivery success rate, and client satisfaction metrics.
Provide weekend and after-hours on-call support during peak seasons or major events as required.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Operational weather forecasting and translation of meteorological information into actionable guidance for non-technical stakeholders.
Familiarity with NWP models and model output interpretation (GFS, ECMWF, HRRR, NAM, ensemble products).
Radar meteorology: interpretation of reflectivity, velocity, polarimetric products, and application to severe convection and precipitation type forecasting.
Satellite remote sensing analysis for cloud classification, moisture transport, and tropical systems monitoring.
Nowcasting techniques, mesoscale analysis, and short-term forecasting workflows (0–12 hour forecasting).
Experience with aviation (METAR/TAF) and/or marine forecasting and regulatory reporting requirements.
Proficiency with meteorological software and visualization tools (e.g., AWIPS, WeatherDesk, MetPy, GEMPAK, Satellite Tools).
Experience with scripting or data tools (Python, R, SQL, NetCDF, GRIB) to manipulate model and observational data and automate products.
GIS and mapping skills to create operational overlays and client-facing maps (ArcGIS, QGIS, web map integration).
Data quality control, sensor calibration understanding, and experience maintaining observational network integrity.
Familiarity with emergency management frameworks (ICS/NIMS), watch/warning protocols, and multi-agency coordination.
Experience with multi-channel dissemination systems (SMS, email, push notifications, automated telephone alerts).
Forecast verification and statistical evaluation techniques; experience developing and tracking KPI dashboards.
Knowledge of meteorological codes and standards (WMO, ICAO, local/regional regulatory practices).

Soft Skills

Clear, concise verbal and written communication tailored to technical and non-technical audiences.
Rapid decision-making under pressure with demonstrated judgment and risk-awareness during hazardous weather.
Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills across operations, clients, and emergency management partners.
Attention to detail with the ability to maintain high accuracy in time-sensitive forecasting tasks.
Customer-service orientation and the ability to manage expectations and SLA commitments.
Leadership and mentoring capability for training junior forecasters and coordinating shift teams.
Adaptability and resilience to manage frequent schedule changes, 24/7 operations, and high-stress events.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to reconcile conflicting model guidance and observational evidence.
Project management and organizational skills to manage concurrent tasks and deliverables.
Cultural sensitivity and professionalism when coordinating with partners across regions and jurisdictions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Earth Science, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Climate Science, or equivalent applied meteorological program.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Meteorology / Atmospheric Science
Environmental Science
Earth and Climate Sciences
Data Science / Applied Statistics (for advanced forecasting and model evaluation)
Geography / GIS

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of operational meteorology or weather forecasting experience; experience may vary by sector (aviation, marine, utilities).

Preferred:

5+ years of operational forecasting with documented experience in severe weather coordination, aviation/marine forecasting, client-facing briefings, or emergency management support. Experience with model interpretation, radar/satellite analysis, and automation/scripting is highly desirable.