I’m an outsider in most of the fields I’ve worked in. Long ago, my first job out of college was building terrain database software for military training, but I wasn’t a tank commander. Later, I got into flight simulation, but I’m not a pilot. Currently, I work in tech in meteorology, but I’m not a meteorologist.
Being an outsider in a field has never really bothered me. You consult the experts and listen, and that’s what we expected when they trained us in CS.
Software Ate the World
Software has gradually taken over during the last twenty years. It’s been fun, but overall, it’s not a net win for the world. It’s enabled some sloppy, terrible people to do some sloppy and terrible things. It has been kind of fun, though.
Before everything was online, I was trained in a primarily analog world. Many records were paper, more paper was generated daily, and many activities were completely offline. We all knew planning and communication were heading to the computer, and that provided some great opportunities.
It was the key if you were looking for something new to do. You found an area that needed computers and dug in. Odds were someone was already working on it, but there was money to be made and fun to be had. This method was true at tiny startups and big companies like Microsoft. Google came much later.
Tech in meteorology has been around for a long time, with weather models being the most apparent reason. However, meteorology has held on to its analog side longer than expected.
Do You Need a Meteorologist To Tell You the Weather?
You don’t need a broadcast meteorologist to tell the weather. I haven’t listened to an actual weather report or a live broadcast of news in years. They seem like a relic to me, I’m afraid.
Where I value human intervention is in warnings and alerts. Some are generated automatically. Others are the result of computation and human analysis, like hurricane tracks. Specialized forecasting is essential, too. I don’t think the Air Force will give up its weather officers any time soon.
I couldn’t tell you where the line is. As with all my work, I’m an outsider bringing more computation into the mix. I have noticed some trends, though.
Does every company in weather dream of doing specialized forecast consulting? I’d think we’d be seeing less of that in recent years due to tech in meteorology. Still, it seems aspirational, even for deeply computational companies. Maybe there’s a reason, or perhaps it’s just something meteorologists dream of.
The truth is I don’t know. I’m just the computer guy.
Tech in Meteorology Education Should Evolve
We’re interviewing for summer interns. We’ve focused on CS majors in the past since we know how to support them. This year, it’s weather (meteorology, weather modeling, and ‘similar’). We have some new tools to shake out, and we’re curious to explore the line between meteorology and data plumbing.
It’s interesting to see what the various programs teach. As someone working in tech in meteorology, I don’t have suggestions. Mostly. Okay, maybe one.
I suggest y’all spend more time with Python and the open-source meteorology packages. Obviously, we’re biased, but I think that’s just going to grow. The future of tech in meteorology is increasingly open-source and collaborative.
The Future of Tech in Meteorology: Finding Balance
As we look to the future of tech in meteorology, I believe we’re heading toward a balanced approach that leverages both computational power and human expertise. The field isn’t about replacing meteorologists with algorithms—it’s about augmenting their capabilities and creating new opportunities. As a computer scientist in this space, I’ve found that the most valuable innovations come from collaboration between domain experts and technical specialists.
The weather industry will continue to evolve as tech in meteorology advances, but the fundamentals remain: we need accurate predictions, timely warnings, and accessible information. Whether that comes from a broadcast meteorologist, an app on your phone, or some combination of both doesn’t matter as much as getting it right when it counts. For now, I’ll keep bringing my computational perspective to the table, learning from meteorologists and working on tools that make everyone’s job easier and forecasts more accurate. After all, tech in meteorology isn’t just about the weather—it’s about helping people make better decisions in their daily lives.