Weathering the Storms of Life and Nature: Workplace Wellbeing and Mental Health in Meteorologists of the United States

Abstract

Mental health is a topic of increasing interest and concern across the weather enterprise amidst a backdrop of funding cuts, extreme storms, and longer, more involved work hours. The present study therefore investigated wellbeing in the meteorological workplace. Participants (N= 389), professional meteorologists (n = 360) and professionally-employed meteorology students (n = 29), voluntarily participated in a Qualtrics-hosted online survey and responded to a number of measures representing a broad range of mental health variables. These individuals fell into three employment sectors: U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), Broadcast (television weather), and Other (a combination of academic, private sector, military, and non-NWS operational meteorologists). Individual differences emerged between meteorological sectors in personality and the subjective wellbeing domains of burnout, job satisfaction, and anxiety. Broadcasters were significantly more burnt-out at work and personally, were higher in extraversion, and were highest in anxiety. NWS meteorologists were most burnt-out in working with partners. The Other category of meteorologists showed more agreeableness and greater job satisfaction than broadcasters and those in the NWS. There was no cross-sector difference, however, in traits that might be relatively uniform among meteorologists: Grit, life satisfaction, self-concept clarity, subjective happiness, stress, and depression. Results are discussed in terms of consequences for meteorologists’ mental health and emotional wellbeing as well as the future of the field.

دور النب نيرو والحري ماعت في حماية المتوفى في غرفة الدفن في وادي الملكات

“…Neb-nerou and Ḥery-Maat are represented in numerous tombs, such as the tombs of Queen Sat-Re (QV 38), Queen Tyti (QV 52), in tomb (QV 36) of unknown King's daughter, tomb (QV 74) of Duatentipet, the great royal wife of Ramses IV and mother of Ramses V, and tomb of Henutmire (QV 75), 2 and three sons of Ramses III: Prince Pa-Re-herwenem-ef (QV 42); Prince Set-her-khepsh-ef (QV 43); and Prince Khaemwaset (QV 44). 3 The scene consists of two figures: Neb-nerou and Ḥery-Maat. Neb-nerou is usually facing the door of the sarcophagus chamber to protect the deceased.…”

“…53, France, 1952, p. 31. 3 Friedric, Abitz, Ramses III. In Den Gräbern Seiner Söhne, Switzerland, 1986, p. 80-83.…”