THE WEATHER

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33050, 18 October 1972, Page 25

THE WEATHER

METEOROLOGY is the study of all the phenomena that occur in the earth’s atmosphere. This, of course, includes the study of those happenings which make up what we call weather. In practice, therefore, a large part of the work of the New Zealand Meteorological Service is concerned with the prediction of future weather conditions (forecasting) and the study of weather conditions in the past (climatology). Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of workers in the Meteorological Service: meteorologists and meteorological observers. Meteorologists must possess a university degree, preferably with advanced work in mathematics and physics. Meteorological observers need not have studied at a university but should possess a good general education and some interest in scientific matters.

Observer’s duties A meteorological observer is not a forecaster; he is a technical officer who makes, collects and processes the weather data upon which forecasting is based. His duties include making weather observations by reading instruments such as barometers and thermometers, and by making visual estimates of cloud types and heights; the operation of special theodolites to follow meteorological balloons that determine wind speed and direction in the upper atmosphere; and the plotting of weather charts and general handling of all kinds of weather reports. One of the most interesting sections of his work is radiosonde and radar wind operation. This work involves recording data from automatic radio transmitting sets carried into the

atmosphere by hydrogenfilled balloons and tracking the balloons by speciallydesigned radar. Qualifications School Certificate or University Entrance is required. It is desirable that mathematics be taken and a background of the physical sciences is also helpful. The head office of the Meteorological Service and the National Weather Forecasting Centre are in Wellington, and there are branch offices at Kaitaia, Whenuapai, Auckland, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Gisborne, Ohakea, Paraparaumu, Kaikoura, Nelson, Hokitika, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invereargill, Raoul Island, Chatham Island, Campbell Island and the Pacific Island territories of Fiji, the Gilbert and ElHce Islands and the Cook Islands. Most of these offices are on airfields.