| A climatologist is someone who studies climates. | | | | you'll start working with other climatologists who are |
| Although often confused with meteorology, | | | | more experienced than you are. As you advance in |
| climatology is quite a different profession. Think of it | | | | your profession, you can specialize in what you feel |
| this way. A meteorologist studies the climate just in | | | | most comfortable with, such as in the lab doing data |
| the short term. | | | | analysis or in the field collecting research. |
| The career outlook for a Climatologist is favorable. | | | | What does being a climatologist have to do with |
| They make on average $55-$95 thousand a year. | | | | being "green"? |
| He or she predicts what the weather is going to do, | | | | As a climatologist, you not only study the long-term |
| including the winds, and the amount of precipitation | | | | trends in climate within a given area, but you also try |
| we are going to have. | | | | to forecast what's going to happen over the |
| By contrast, a climatologist studies trending climate | | | | long-term with the climate in a given area based upon |
| over the long term. For example, the climate you live | | | | several characteristics. Among the things you study, |
| in depends on where you live geographically. If you | | | | for example, are the effects pollution has on climate |
| live in the South of the United States, for example, | | | | both now and in the future. For example, you study |
| your weather is generally going to be much warmer | | | | what's called "atmospheric aerosol content," which |
| overall that it will be if you live in the Midwest or in | | | | are microscopic particles NOT made of gas but that |
| the northeastern region of the United States. This | | | | nonetheless affect climate like greenhouse gases do. |
| "climate" is what a climatologist studies, not | | | | These types of particles can be both natural and |
| short-term weather patterns predicting what's going | | | | man-made. Some examples include mineral dust, |
| to happen today, tomorrow or next week in the | | | | ammonium sulfate, pollen, carbon or soot emissions, |
| weather so that you can wear a raincoat out the | | | | and so on. |
| next time you go to work or school, for example. | | | | By studying these things, you as a climatologist can |
| What climate determines | | | | help predict how our human behavior is affecting the |
| The climate you live in determines several things | | | | earth either negatively or positively in regard to |
| about the area you live in. The type of plants that | | | | climate. You can also work with other scientists to |
| grow there, are one example of what climate | | | | make recommendations as to changes humans can |
| affects. As a climatologist, you study the climate in a | | | | make so that we positively affect our climate and |
| particular area and then try to forecast what's going | | | | therefore our very survival. |
| to happen in the long term. What will happen with | | | | For example, climatologists were among the |
| climate over the long term affects everything, from | | | | instrumental scientists who discovered global warming |
| food production, to survival of endangered species, | | | | and told us what we can do about it so as to slow it |
| to energy usage, even health, life expectancy, or the | | | | down and therefore protect the health of the planet, |
| very survival of the human race itself. | | | | other animals' survival, and our own survival, too. |
| Becoming a climatologist | | | | In other words, you as a climatologist can absolutely |
| If you become a climatologist, you'll need to study | | | | give humans the knowledge we need to change how |
| physical and biological sciences and get a degree in | | | | we behave so that we protect the planet, ourselves, |
| atmospheric science or something similar. In general, | | | | and the other species that live here. |