ORLANDO, Fla. – Today is a great day to thank your favorite meteorologist or TEAM of meteorologists (cough-cough, your Pinpoint Weather team)!
Did you know that National Weatherperson’s Day is a genuine holiday? It’s actually been ongoing for centuries.
The day commemorates weatherman John Jeffries, dating back to 1744. He started taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774. So you can see the field of weather and the study of weather phenomena has an enormous historical footprint.
Jeffries was also the one to send up the first weather balloon to collect upper air weather data. This established the process with which we collect important atmospheric measurements to plug into our computer models and interpolate day-to-day.
Observations both at ground level and highest up in the atmosphere are constantly ongoing, even as you’re reading this article.
As we’re all aware of today, weather observing and forecasting has taken on a whole different meaning and has evolved dramatically over the years, especially in the last decade or two with rapid innovations in science and technology.
With weather information that is readily accessible at the drop of a hat, it’s easy to forget the level of hard work, grind and education that goes into adequately forecasting your local and large-scale weather.
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, and likely repeat myself a hundred more times - there’s a lot more that goes into building your pinpoint accurate forecast than simply looking at model data on the computer.
That’s what today is truly all about. We look back on the history of the weather career field, and those specifically responsible for building it into what we know and recognize today.
You can gain access to all the weather information you need to plan your day, your week, sometimes even your month ahead if you require that level of precision. A quick Google search or downloading of a weather app or a quick stop on social media/TV gives you everything you need as a package deal.
But let’s not forget what TRULY goes into your weather forecast. We sit at the weather center helm for countless hours looking through layers upon layers of observation and model data. No stone goes unturned when carefully scrutinizing what the atmosphere is doing.
Our area of responsibility may be Central Florida, but we have to be aware of what’s happening on a national, even global, scale to accurately gain a better understanding of how phenomena occurring elsewhere translates to your neighborhood.
At the end of the day, we love what we do, and we love getting to talk weather with all of you! I promise this isn’t just a job where we’re allowed to be wrong half the time and still get paid. Every incorrect forecast is a wonderful opportunity to go back and check our work, so we get better every step of the way.
A big thanks goes out to all fellow members of the meteorological community, no matter how big or small. Take the time if possible to thank a meteorologist for the work that they do.
As soon as I’m finished writing this article for you amazing readers, it’s right back to the grind myself.
