American Meteorological Society Certification (AMS) Practice

Meteorologists specialize in the study of weather patterns. They analyze various atmospheric conditions, such as temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and pressure, to predict and interpret weather changes over short time scales, which can range from hours to weeks. Their training typically emphasizes understanding atmospheric science, dynamics, and physics, which enable them to provide forecasts and issue warnings related to weather events.

Climatologists, while they also study aspects of the atmosphere, focus more broadly on long-term climate conditions and trends rather than the short-term weather patterns that meteorologists analyze. Paleontologists study ancient life through fossils and geological records, while geologists investigate the Earth's composition, structure, and processes, which are distinct from atmospheric studies. Therefore, the role that specifically pertains to investigating and forecasting weather is that of the meteorologist.