Aviation meteorologists provide weather information to airline operations, flight dispatchers, and pilots. The meteorologist must determine both the current and forecasted weather conditions for all altitudes. These conditions include the wind’s direction and speed, cloud cover, visibility, and precipitation. 

Aviation weather reports differ from other weather reports because they consider what conditions may affect flights. For example, if heavy turbulence is likely at one altitude, the pilot needs to know what altitude to climb to, avoiding the turbulence. Aviation meteorologists rely on radar, computers, weather station information, and other tools to compile their weather reports. 

Aviation meteorologists focus on the weather patterns impacting: 

aircraft that are already in the sky, flying toward their destinations,
planes that are about to take off, or 
planes that are about to land.
They continually monitor and forecast the weather and pass the information to the aviation industry to make informed decisions. Sometimes that can result in delaying or canceling flights.

Working as an aviation meteorologist carries a high level of responsibility. Predicting the weather can be challenging and occasionally frustrating. Because airplanes fly at all hours, aviation meteorologists’ work schedules may include nights, weekends, and holidays, especially if there is an urgent weather situation at hand. An aviation meteorologist needs to have a logical and analytical mind and work calmly under pressure.