Am I a meteorologist? And what exactly makes someone a meteorologist?
It's a question that comes up occasionally here at Wally's Weather. What's my meteorological background? Am I a qualified meteorologist? And what qualifies me to analyse and talk about the weather?
The short answer is no, I'm not a formally qualified meteorologist, and I've never claimed to be one.
But the longer answer is a little more interesting, because meteorology involves far more than meteorologists.
And perhaps the best place to start is by answering a simple question.
What exactly is a meteorologist?
A meteorologist is someone who studies the Earth's atmosphere, the physical processes occurring within it, and how those processes influence weather and climate.
Meteorologists apply scientific principles, particularly physics, mathematics and atmospheric science, to understand atmospheric behaviour and predict weather conditions.
But here's something worth understanding. Not all meteorologists are weather forecasters.
Some specialise in atmospheric research, severe thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, numerical weather prediction, climate, aviation or the physics of clouds and rainfall.
Professional meteorologists generally have formal qualifications in meteorology or atmospheric science, or equivalent specialist scientific training.
But there's another important distinction.
Meteorology is a field of science. A meteorologist is one of the professionals working within that field.
Behind every weather forecast are mathematicians, physicists, programmers, engineers, statisticians, GIS specialists, data scientists and many others.
Most aren't meteorologists, but their contributions are essential to modern weather forecasting.
And that's where my own background becomes relevant.
[IMAGE 1 – Satellite view of Australia]
Caption: Meteorology begins with understanding the atmosphere, but interpreting it relies on an enormous network of technology, observations and scientific expertise.
Before Google, before AI, and before programming was easy
I've spent around 40 years working with computers, programming, data and information systems, across something like 20 different programming languages.
I learned programming before Google existed. Before you could type a question into a search engine and find someone who had already solved your problem.
You learned syntax, logic, algorithms, data structures and how computers processed information. You learned to debug your own mistakes, sometimes spending hours trying to work out why something wasn't behaving as expected.
And believe me, developing a graphical user interface when you had to code practically everything yourself wasn't always an enjoyable experience!
Over the years, my work has involved data management, systems development, programming, analysis and geographic information systems (GIS).
My GIS background includes advanced study at master's level, along with practical applications in industries such as diamond exploration and agriculture.
These might sound like unrelated fields, but they share something fundamental.
They're all about collecting information, understanding relationships, identifying patterns, solving problems and making sense of data.
And that's what brought many of my existing skills into meteorology.
[IMAGE 2 – Historical ENIAC computer programmers]
Caption: Programming has changed enormously over the decades. The importance of logic, problem-solving and understanding how computers work hasn't.
Meteorology involves far more than meteorologists
When people think about weather forecasting, they naturally think of a meteorologist interpreting weather charts and explaining what's going to happen.
But consider what happens before that forecast is produced.
Weather stations collect observations. Satellites monitor the atmosphere. Radar systems detect precipitation. Computers process enormous amounts of information. Mathematical models simulate atmospheric behaviour.
And behind those systems are people with very different qualifications and experience.
Programmers develop the software. Database specialists manage the information. Mathematicians develop numerical methods. Engineers maintain the equipment. Statisticians evaluate forecast performance. GIS specialists investigate geographic relationships.
Then there are people developing the interfaces, maps, applications and communication systems that make all this information accessible.
Modern meteorology simply couldn't operate without these disciplines.
And many of the skills involved are transferable from other industries.
[IMAGE 3 – ECMWF supercomputer or weather modelling infrastructure]
Caption: Behind every modern weather forecast are enormous computing systems, data engineers, programmers, mathematicians and scientists.
So where do my skills fit?
Quite comfortably into several areas.
My programming background allows me to understand how weather applications operate, how information is processed and how different systems communicate.
My experience with databases helps me understand how observations and forecasts are stored, retrieved, validated and compared.
My GIS experience allows me to examine weather geographically, including rainfall distribution, terrain, coastlines, spatial relationships and the limitations of mapping data.
My systems development background helps me understand how all these components fit together.
And decades of working with data have taught me something particularly important.
Just because a computer produces a result doesn't mean the result is correct.
You need to understand where the information came from, how it was processed, what assumptions were made and whether the result makes sense.
That's particularly important in weather forecasting.
For example, if ECMWF predicts heavy rainfall for Townsville and another model predicts very little, the interesting question isn't simply which one is right.
It's why they differ.
Are they using different resolutions? Are they representing the terrain differently? Are they predicting different atmospheric conditions? Are we comparing the same forecast periods? How have those models performed previously?
These are questions involving meteorology, but also data analysis, geography, statistics and systems thinking.
And they're questions I'm comfortable investigating.
[IMAGE 4 – North Queensland terrain or GIS elevation map]
Caption: GIS allows us to examine how geography, elevation, coastlines, land use and terrain interact with weather data. These spatial relationships are particularly important across North Queensland.
Understanding weather data isn't the same as being a meteorologist
This is where I think it's important to be clear.
I can understand how weather models work computationally, how their data is structured, how forecasts are processed and how their performance can be evaluated.
I can develop applications that process weather information, compare forecasts against observations and display the results.
I can investigate rainfall patterns, radar coverage, terrain relationships and historical observations.
But none of that automatically makes me an atmospheric physicist or a qualified operational meteorologist.
There are areas of atmospheric science that require years of specialised education and research.
I respect that expertise.
Equally, I don't think the skills of programmers, engineers, mathematicians, data specialists and others should be overlooked simply because they don't hold meteorology qualifications.
These disciplines complement one another.
Then along came artificial intelligence
This has probably been one of the biggest changes in my working life.
I was never a particularly fast programmer.
Not because I couldn't understand programming, but because I needed long periods of uninterrupted concentration, something I was rarely afforded.
Programming required keeping an enormous amount of information in your head while translating ideas into code.
And interruptions could be incredibly frustrating.
AI has changed that relationship.
I no longer need to personally write every line of code to develop something useful.
I can concentrate on the architecture, the data, the relationships, the rules and what the application is supposed to achieve.
I sometimes compare it to building a house.
I don't need to manufacture the steel, cut the timber or make the kitchen cabinets.
But I need to understand how those components fit together, what they're supposed to do and what happens if something is assembled incorrectly.
These days, AI can do much of the coding while I manage the process.
And importantly, I can ask it to explain things I don't understand, explore alternative approaches and help with areas where my own abilities are more limited, such as aspects of user interface design.
That doesn't mean I blindly trust everything it produces.
Quite the opposite.
Forty years of programming experience has taught me how easily software can produce something that looks correct but isn't.
AI has allowed me to apply skills I've developed over decades to projects that previously would have required far more time than I had available.
And that includes Wally's Weather.
What does this mean for Wally's Weather?
It means I can develop tools to retrieve and analyse weather data, compare forecast models, investigate historical observations, examine geographic relationships and present information in ways that are hopefully useful to people.
It also means I can investigate questions that interest me rather than simply repeating a forecast.
Why did rainfall develop in one location but not another?
Why did a storm appear to weaken as it crossed a mountain range?
Is the radar actually seeing everything, or could terrain be affecting its coverage?
Why are different weather applications displaying different forecasts?
Is the information current, or are we looking at data from an earlier model run?
These questions involve atmospheric science, but they also involve data quality, geography, software, mathematics and logical investigation.
My background gives me useful tools for examining them.
It doesn't guarantee that every conclusion I reach will be correct.
And that's why I try to distinguish between observations, model forecasts, my own analysis and things that remain uncertain.
[IMAGE 5 – Screenshot of Wally's Weather Daily Edition or Storm Forecaster]
Caption: Wally's Weather brings together observations, forecast models, geographic information and data analysis to help explain what's happening in our atmosphere.
What about the Bureau of Meteorology?
I have considerable respect for the scientific and technical work that goes into producing Australia's weather forecasts.
That doesn't mean I believe every forecast is correct, or that every system and process is beyond criticism.
I've spent enough years working with data and technology to know that even sophisticated systems can have limitations, errors and unexpected behaviour.
But I also understand how difficult forecasting is.
In fact, I regularly use BOM forecasts because I recognise the work and expertise behind them.
I don't see any value in pretending I can simply replace that process.
What I can do is provide another perspective, examine additional information, explain what the data appears to show and help people understand the uncertainty.
And sometimes I will question things.
That's part of analysing information, not a rejection of science.
Experience doesn't have to come from a single discipline
Something I've learned over my career is that skills are often far more transferable than people realise.
A mathematician can contribute to medical research without being a doctor.
A GIS specialist can contribute to hydrology without being a hydrologist.
A programmer can develop astronomical software without being an astronomer.
An engineer can contribute to atmospheric observation systems without being a meteorologist.
And someone with decades of experience in programming, data analysis, GIS and systems development can apply those skills to weather information without claiming to be a qualified meteorologist.
Of course, transferring skills doesn't mean automatically acquiring all the specialist knowledge of the new field.
That knowledge still needs to be developed through learning, investigation, experience and evidence.
But neither should we underestimate the value of the knowledge someone brings with them.
So, am I a meteorologist?
No. Not in the formal professional sense.
I'm someone with around 40 years of experience in programming, data, GIS and systems development who has applied those skills to understanding, analysing and communicating weather information.
I've developed additional meteorological knowledge along the way, and I continue learning.
I know there are things I understand well, things I understand reasonably well, and things I still need to learn.
And I'm quite comfortable admitting that.
Wally's Weather has never been about pretending to be the Bureau of Meteorology or claiming qualifications I don't have.
It's about using the knowledge, skills, technology and information available to provide another perspective on the weather, particularly for Townsville and North Queensland.
Sometimes that means explaining a forecast. Sometimes it means investigating something unusual. Sometimes it means questioning a result. And sometimes it means simply saying we don't know yet.
So when someone asks whether I'm a meteorologist, the answer is still no.
But if the question is whether my professional background gives me relevant skills to understand and work with meteorological information, the answer is very much yes.
Because meteorology is a science supported by many disciplines, and you don't have to be a meteorologist to make a meaningful contribution to it.
And after 40 years of working with data and technology, I think I've earned the right to be curious about what the atmosphere is doing.
That doesn't mean I'll always get it right.
But then again, that's one thing meteorologists and I certainly have in common. 😂
— Wally
Wally's Weather Australia
Images and references
NASA Earth Observatory – Satellite imagery and atmospheric observations. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
U.S. Army – Historical ENIAC programming photograph (1946), via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Two_women_operating_ENIAC_(full_resolution).jpg
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) – Computing and the Integrated Forecasting System. https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/media-centre/news/2018/how-did-integrated-forecasting-system-get-its-name
Queensland Government – Mapping and geographic information resources. https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/management/mapping
Wally's Weather Australia – Original weather applications, maps and data visualisations. Screenshot supplied by Wally's Weather.
Image credits should be checked against the exact images selected before publication. The organisational references above are not necessarily permissions to reproduce individual images.
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