Whenever I hear a weather gal/guy say they are a “meteorologist,” I have to cringe.
I mean, let’s get real here.
OK – These people on the TV or radio DO have a fairly difficult job: Letting us know if it’s going to rain or snow or be cold or warm tomorrow or next weekend (maybe).
They base these predictions on complex, computerized weather maps that are always changing – resulting in a prediction that is really a “best guess” based on what’s been happening in the state just to the west or north – or wherever your Jetstream lies – in the latest 24-hour period.
Usually, they’re fairly accurate. But not always.
But let’s get back to these folks calling themselves “meteorologists.” In the common parlance, a “meteor” is an object – usually a piece of space debris -- shooting across the sky.
Which, I’m pretty sure, has NOTHING to do with the weather.
In their defense, so-called meteorologists claim their profession’s name is based on the ancient book “Meteorologica” by the renowned Greek philosopher Aristotle around 340 B.C.
In his book, Aristotle discusses clouds, wind, lightning, snow and the like.
Nothing about meteors.
But since Aristotle was talking about things that fall from the sky – like meteorites do – the term “meteorologist” has been appropriated by the weather-prediction crowd.
Guess they thought it sounded far cooler than “weather guesser.”
It wasn’t until the late 1500s that sky observers began to refer to “shooting stars” as meteors. So what do actual studiers of meteors call themselves?
Meteoricists.
Ever hear of it? Neither had I until I researched this blog.
As a former “news guy,” I don’t know how these “meteorologists” can come to work day after day and do 4, 5 or more weather spots throughout the day and hang onto their sanity.
As a reporter, I was out and about nearly every day, covering events and interviewing people. Always different, always changing.
But the poor weather gal/guy has a pretty limited set of possibilities every day: It’s either going to precipitate or not. It’s either going to get colder or warmer.
And that’s about it.
That would drive me crazy.
Not to mention that every time they’re wrong – or even when they’re right and the weather-watching crowd doesn’t like the forecast – they get blamed.
So how do they hold onto those too-happy smiles?
It has to be hardest on the female forecasters, I know. Not only are they held responsible for bad weather news, but they are constantly being judged on their bodies, clothes, hairstyle, makeup, etc.
It’s a tough life, so let’s throw them a bone:
Call them meteorologists.
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