Will it be sunshine or rain? Are the temperatures higher or lower than
normal? What can we expect for the weekend?
It doesn't matter where you live, people love to talk about the weather.
While most people are curious about the weather, some people have a real
passion for studying clouds, temperatures and winds. Patty Wontroba is one
of those people. "I've always been interested in weather. I can't
tell you why, but it's a real love."
Wontroba got her degree from Parks College of St. Louis University. "You
have to study hard on the science and math," she warns. "Atmospheric science
is just a specialized branch of physics."
The heavy emphasis on science may explain why she found so few women studying
meteorology. Wontroba says fewer than 10 percent of meteorologists were women
when she started working more than 20 years ago. There are more now, but the
field is still predominantly male.
Wontroba says demand, not gender, is the issue these days. "It's not
a real wide open field for anyone, anymore. Compared to something like engineering,
there's not that much being done. There's just not a whole lot of
us."
Even so, Wontroba doesn't want to discourage anyone with a passion
for the field. "If you really love it, go for it. There will always be some
openings."
Wontroba now works the National Weather Service in Florida. She does contract
work for the Federal Aviation Administration. Her weather forecasts are used
by air traffic controllers and airlines to identify troublesome weather systems.
Flights can be delayed or re-routed depending on her findings. She says
no one wants to give passengers a rough ride through a thunderstorm. That
could mean their airline is identified with a frightening experience.
John Mullock is a senior meteorologist with the national weather service.
He says people don't pay much attention to the day-to-day forecasts unless
they have a special reason.
"During severe weather conditions or emergencies, you know people are relying
on you for accurate information. As a forecaster, you're very aware that
decisions are being made based on your judgment of what's going to happen
next."
Mullock says meteorologists often find themselves at the center of emergencies
like airplane crashes, oil spills, industrial accidents and natural disasters
like floods, avalanches and fires.
"We're part of the team that kicks into gear during these things.
It doesn't happen often in most forecasters' careers, but it's
a time when you draw on all your education, experience and skills to make
your predictions. And you're very aware of the need for accuracy and
good judgment."
Wontroba says part of the challenge of her job is translating the scientific
interpretation of satellite photos and weather patterns into simple terms.
"You have to think, 'This is what I can say to [the public] and this
is what I can say to other meteorologists.' Information has to be simplified
so people can understand."
Mullock can think of one case in which his communication skills were really
tested. It was back in the 1980s when a major fire was threatening a small,
remote town.
Fire crews knew there was a weak fire line east of town. The local forecaster
knew from local readings that there was a low-pressure zone fast approaching.
The problem was, he couldn't say for certain whether the winds would
blow the fire toward the town or away from it.
"The uncertainty was made worse by the weak fire line to the east. The
fire could move in on the town very quickly from that direction," he remembers.
With only one road out of town and the fire quickly spreading, the situation
was tense. The town was put on a 30-minute evacuation notice.
"Helicopters, water bombers, firefighters, the local people -- they were
all waiting to hear from the local forecaster and those of us looking at the
regional weather. Our assessment had to be made quickly and it had to be accurate."
In the end, the low-pressure zone moved the fire away from the town. But
it just as easily could have gone the other way.
"There really is no crystal ball, no way to be 100 percent accurate 100
percent of the time. Weather systems don't repeat themselves in exact
patterns. There's always a factor that makes each situation unique,"
says Mullock.
Wontroba likes this variety about her job. "It's always something
different."