Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Weather Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

A Weather Specialist (also referred to as Meteorologist, Forecast Specialist, or Atmospheric Scientist) is responsible for producing accurate short- to medium-range forecasts, identifying and communicating hazardous weather, ingesting and quality-controlling multi-source meteorological observations, applying numerical weather prediction outputs and statistical post-processing, and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders — including emergency management, aviation, utilities, and the public — to translate forecast information into actionable guidance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Entry-level Meteorologist / Forecast Technician
Atmospheric Science Intern or Research Assistant
Remote sensing / GIS specialist transitioning into operational forecasting

Advancement To:

Senior Weather Specialist / Senior Meteorologist
Forecast Operations Manager or Duty Forecaster Lead
Chief Meteorologist / Director of Meteorological Services
Applied Research Scientist (NWP development)

Lateral Moves:

Climate Analyst or Climatologist
Aviation or Marine Meteorology Specialist
Data Scientist focused on environmental data
Emergency Management Meteorological Liaison

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Produce timely, accurate, and actionable public and private forecasts (short-, medium-, and extended-range) using a blend of observational analysis, statistical post-processing, and numerical weather prediction outputs (e.g., GFS, ECMWF, NAM, WRF), ensuring messages are tailored to target audiences such as aviation, marine, energy, agriculture, and emergency management.
Monitor and interpret real-time satellite, radar (Doppler, dual-polarization), surface observations (ASOS/AWOS), upper-air soundings, lightning data, and remote sensing products to detect developing weather features and verify model solutions.
Issue watches, warnings, advisories, and special weather statements for hazardous conditions (severe convective storms, tornadoes, flash floods, winter storms, tropical cyclones, high winds, icing, dense fog) and coordinate wording and timing with local, regional, and national partners.
Perform model diagnostics and bias assessment for numerical guidance, adjust model output statistics (MOS), and apply ensemble-derived probabilities to communicate forecast uncertainty and confidence levels to stakeholders.
Conduct mesoscale analysis, frontal and convective initiation forecasting, thermodynamic and kinematic profiling for severe weather potential, and translate these technical assessments into clear impact-based messaging for non-technical audiences.
Maintain situational awareness of evolving multi-hazard events, coordinate on-call coverage during high-impact periods, participate in shift rotations and incident response calls, and support 24/7 operational forecast centers when required.
Perform verification, post-event analysis and root-cause assessment of forecasts and warnings, develop performance metrics (e.g., POD, FAR, Brier score), and implement continuous improvement measures to reduce forecast error.
Integrate and quality-control data ingested from surface stations, radiosondes, profilers, buoys, and crowd-sourced observations; flag sensor errors and recommend calibration or maintenance actions to ensure data integrity.
Develop, implement, and maintain forecast templates, briefing products, impact graphics, and multi-channel communication content (web, social media, briefings, email alerts) that meet organizational tone, accessibility, and legal requirements.
Provide targeted briefings and decision-support forecasts for critical infrastructure sectors (airports, utilities, transportation, oil & gas, events), including pre-event planning and post-event situational reports.
Collaborate with researchers and model developers to evaluate new model configurations, assimilation techniques, and post-processing algorithms, and translate applied research into operational improvements.
Configure and operate forecasting and visualization platforms (e.g., AWIPS, IDV, Metview, GEMPAK, GrADS, Panoply) and customize displays to support rapid situational assessment during severe weather events.
Perform trajectory, dispersion, and air-quality related analyses (HYSPLIT or equivalent) for pollution, volcanic ash, smoke, or hazardous substance incidents, and coordinate recommendations with public health and safety agencies.
Design, run, and document nowcasting procedures using high-resolution radar and satellite-derived products, including rapid-update model cycles and machine-learning-based feature detection when available.
Support aviation and marine forecasting services by issuing Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), SIGMETs, and maritime warnings, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and stakeholder operational constraints.
Maintain and operate observation network assets when part of field responsibilities: instrument checks, routine site inspections, basic repairs, and coordination with technical teams for complex maintenance or upgrades.
Create and maintain technical documentation, standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklist workflows for emergency operations, and training materials for both junior staff and external partners.
Lead post-event briefings and after-action reviews with cross-functional teams to integrate lessons learned into preparedness plans and forecasting products.
Participate in community outreach, education, and media interactions (press conferences, interviews, social media Q&A) to improve public understanding of forecast impacts and safety actions.
Support procurement, evaluation, and implementation of third-party weather and climate datasets and forecast APIs, ensuring integration with internal databases and operational tools.
Stay current with meteorological science and applied technologies by attending conferences, completing continuing education, and reading peer-reviewed literature to inform best practices and innovation in forecasting.
Mentor and train junior meteorologists and interns on forecast techniques, model interpretation, warning decision-making, and communication best practices to strengthen team capability.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests, build reproducible data extracts, and perform exploratory analyses to evaluate new data sources or stakeholder-specific products.
Contribute to the organization's weather data strategy and roadmap by recommending observational upgrades, model partnerships, and verification frameworks that align with business objectives.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, product, operations) to translate meteorological requirements into software features, API endpoints, and operational monitoring dashboards.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies to prioritize meteorological features, forecast product improvements, and data pipeline needs.
Assist in prototype development for automation of routine products (e.g., automated briefings, model consensus algorithms) using scripting languages and workflow orchestration tools.
Document data schemas, metadata, and quality flags for forecast and observational datasets to facilitate ML/AI readiness and reproducible research across the organization.
Provide subject-matter expertise to sales, account management, and client-facing teams during business development and contract negotiations for specialized weather services.
Lead or support grant proposals, funded research collaborations, and pilot projects that extend the organization’s forecasting capabilities or enter new vertical markets (e.g., renewable energy forecasting).
Conduct scenario planning and tabletop exercises with emergency management partners to validate communication chains and forecast-driven decision processes.
Maintain compliance with industry regulations and best practices relevant to aviation, marine, and public weather services, and support audits or certification efforts.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Operational Forecasting: Proven experience producing deterministic and probabilistic forecasts across multiple time horizons and translating model output into actionable guidance for diverse sectors.
Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) Expertise: Practical knowledge of global and regional models (GFS, ECMWF, NAM, HRRR, WRF) including initialization, common biases, ensemble interpretation, and model output formats (GRIB, NetCDF).
Remote Sensing & Radar Interpretation: Skilled at interpreting satellite imagery (visible, IR, water vapor) and Doppler radar products (reflectivity, velocity, dual-pol) for nowcasting and severe storm analysis.
Data Assimilation & Quality Control: Familiarity with observational assimilation concepts, sensor QC procedures, and handling of surface, upper-air, radar, and satellite datasets.
Programming & Scripting: Proficiency in Python (xarray, pandas, metpy), shell scripting, and experience with data pipelines; familiarity with R, MATLAB, or Fortran is beneficial.
Visualization & Forecast Tools: Experience with forecasting platforms and visualization tools (AWIPS, IDV, MetPy, Matplotlib, GIS systems, QGIS) to produce maps, time series, and animations.
Statistical Post-Processing & Verification: Knowledge of MOS, bias correction, ensemble calibration, and verification metrics (POD, FAR, Brier score, CRPS).
Atmospheric Dynamics & Thermodynamics: Strong theoretical grounding in mesoscale processes, boundary layer meteorology, convection, and frontal dynamics.
Remote Modeling Tools: Experience running or configuring mesoscale models (WRF) or using trajectory/dispersion models (HYSPLIT) for impact assessments.
Data Formats & APIs: Comfortable working with GRIB, BUFR, NetCDF, CSV, and integrating third-party weather APIs for both ingestion and delivery of forecast products.
Instrumentation & Observing Systems: Understanding of meteorological instrument operation, basic maintenance, and calibration procedures for surface and upper-air sensors.
Hazard Communication & Impact-Based Forecasting: Ability to craft clear, concise warnings and impact statements for different audiences and delivery channels.
Cloud & Database Technologies: Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) and time-series databases or object storage used for meteorological data (S3, InfluxDB) is a plus.
Machine Learning/AI for Meteorology (preferred): Experience applying ML techniques for pattern recognition, bias correction, or nowcasting provides an edge.

Soft Skills

Clear Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to translate technical meteorological information into plain-language guidance for diverse stakeholders.
Decision-Making Under Pressure: Ability to make rapid, confident forecast and warning decisions during high-impact events while documenting rationale.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Proven experience working cross-functionally with operations, emergency managers, engineers, and customers to meet operational goals.
Adaptability: Comfortable operating in 24/7 shift schedules, evolving technical environments, and during weather emergencies with changing priorities.
Attention to Detail: Rigorous approach to data quality, documentation, and verification to maintain trust and reduce operational risk.
Teaching & Mentoring: Aptitude for creating training materials and coaching junior team members through complex forecasting concepts.
Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking: Analytical mindset to detect model biases, reconcile conflicting data sources, and design mitigation strategies.
Customer-Focused Mindset: Strong orientation toward delivering actionable, reliable weather intelligence that supports client decisions and safety outcomes.
Time Management & Prioritization: Skilled at balancing routine forecast production with ad-hoc requests, research initiatives, and product development.
Ethical Judgment & Professionalism: Commitment to accuracy, transparency, and responsible communication of uncertainty, especially when public safety is involved.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Climate Science, or a closely related physical science.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or PhD in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Applied Meteorology, or related fields with coursework in NWP, remote sensing, or climate modeling.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Meteorology / Atmospheric Science
Climate Science / Physical Geography
Environmental Science / Oceanography
Applied Mathematics, Physics, or Data Science with meteorological applications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–7 years of operational or applied meteorology experience for mid-level Weather Specialist roles.

Preferred:

5+ years of operational forecasting experience including severe weather warning issuance, model diagnostics, and sector-specific forecasting (aviation, marine, renewable energy, or emergency management).
Demonstrated experience with operational forecasting platforms, model ensembles, and data assimilation workflows preferred for senior or lead roles.