Despite predictable weather, specialists still keep busy

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Bryan Bouchard
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  When an area averages an annual temperature of about 100 degrees and less than 1 inch of rain, a person could assume that the weather is fairly predictable. One could also assume that a bunch of weather specialists would not be gainfully employed at such a location.

But then again, everyone knows what happens to people who assume.

Despite predictable weather, Airmen at one forward-deployed location have their work cut out for them because their job does not completely revolve around the weather at their location. Rather, their scope of responsibility covers weather information from anywhere a local aircraft may touch down and beyond.

“This job can be very difficult,” said 2nd Lt. Cory Wees, the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s weather flight commander. “A lot of people think it’s so easy and we just step outside and look at the weather. There’s a lot more that goes into forecasting than that.”

After technical training, nine months for enlisted Airmen and six for officers, Airmen in the weather field begin honing their weather forecasting skills. Weather officers, such as Lieutenant Wees, typically hold bachelor’s degrees in meteorology. Their expertise gives people in the air and on the ground an opportunity to plan their lives and missions around the weather.

“You’ve got to have a good general knowledge of computer skills, writing skills and be able to brief (people) too,” said Senior Airman Jasson Sjoberg, a weather forecaster from Pope Air Force Base, N.C. “Every day, there’s something different.”

The Airmen in the weather flight use several tools that make their jobs easier, including a tactical meteorological observation system. They also use one of two small tactical terminals in the area of responsibility to produce a steady database of high-resolution satellite images for all of Southwest Asia. Using these tools, weather Airmen can monitor trends in temperature, barometric pressure and wind speeds to give pilots a better idea of what conditions they will be flying in.

“Without the service and products produced by the weather shop, especially here, we, the aircrew, could never do what we do,” said Lt. Col. J.D. Brown, the expeditionary operations support squadron commander and an F-15E Strike Eagle weapon systems officer. “From getting to the AOR, whether that be (aboard a) C-130 (Hercules) or F-15E, to getting back to base safely, it can’t happen without the weather troops.”

When briefing the weather for other locations, the weather Airmen can actually contact those locations using a type of instant messaging, streamlining weather discussions across the AOR, said Lieutenant Wees, who is deployed from Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.

But the products the Airmen at the weather flight produce are not just for those who wear flightsuits.

“Our job is to take care of people here, not just the pilots flying missions,” Lieutenant Wees said. Other units on the base use data to plan ahead for events, missions and other activities.

But since when can “forecasters” forecast the weather?

According to eight-year weather veteran Staff Sgt. Adrien Kierzek from the Air Force Weather Agency at Offutt AFB, Neb., forecasting is an indefinite science. Simply put, there is no way to guarantee a spot-on forecast every time, she said. But that is what keeps her interested in the job.

“The best part of this job is being able to forecast the weather correctly and contribute to a successful mission,” she said.

By piecing together different selections of weather data from their location, data from other locations and literally walking outside and looking, Sergeant Kierzek said weather Airmen perform a job not just anyone can do.

“Anyone can forecast the weather,” she explained, “it’s whether or not you can forecast it well that counts.”