Since I began this column over 10 years ago, I’ve strived to write as though you’re with me in the weather operations center, looking over my shoulder and seeing things from my perspective. Since my entire life after high school has revolved around meteorology, it’s always seemed to me that there’s no better way to help pilots come away with valuable insight and techniques than to take you behind the scenes. This should help you make accurate, informed decisions when the weather closes in around you.
During most of my Air Force career I worked as an aviation forecaster. For many years this was a constant succession of four days on, three days off, with rotating shifts. After driving to work, which was usually in a base operations building co-located with dispatch, we would begin a shift-change briefing. If this was in the morning, the entire weather station would participate, including the observers, the section chief, and the commander. If it was evening, the events would be much more relaxed, with just me and the outgoing forecaster reviewing things.
