On The Job: Meteorologist
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World Almanac for Kids
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Carl Arredondo, Chief Meteorologist at WWL-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana
During Hurricane Katrina WWL-TV was the only New Orleans TV station that stayed on air. What was that like?
As Katrina came closer to southeastern Louisiana, we knew it would be either a direct hit or close. Either way it would do a lot of damage. It was very stressful because many people had to evacuate in a short amount of time. Southeastern Louisiana is below sea level and there are a limited amount of escape routes.
Our station staff was working out of a hotel ballroom. I was proud that we were the only ones on the air, but many of us had our homes damaged or destroyed while working. Keeping our minds off of that while trying to give the best coverage was very difficult. My wife, son, and 3 stepchildren stayed with my parents in Texas. Even though they were worried, they could watch me on TV and know I was okay and in a safe place. When we lost telephone service I could still text message on my cell phone.
How did you get interested in meteorology?
I had always been fascinated with the weather. In sixth grade a televisionmeteorologist visited my junior high school in San Antonio, Texas, and I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist. I started working part time at a weather company while still in college.
What is your workday like? Why is your job important?
I know it seems like it's the same weather every day but there's always something different in the atmosphere. It's really important to make sure people know what to do during severe weather. 2006 is going to be another active year with above normal numbers of storms. It never gets boring.
So you never get bored? Come on, something must be boring!
The most boring part is wearing a suit and tie everyday. That's something I wish I could change. That and putting on makeup, which I have to do myself.
What's something that you think kids would find surprising about your job?
That I do all the work myself. I analyze all the graphics that people see and don't see. We talk about computer models on the air but no one sees them. Many people don't realize how much work goes into a daily show. They think the weatherman comes in right before news time, but it's actually a 3-hour process.
What can kids be doing now to get into a career like yours?
You need to study all the math and science you can while in school. You have to do well even when it's not your favorite subject. Math wasn't my favorite subject, but it was something I knew I had to do. I feel very lucky to go to work everyday. There's never a day that I wish I were doing something else.