The quiet profession of "counting wind and measuring rain"

(VLO) To proactively respond to the impacts of weather, providing timely weather forecasts and warnings is an extremely important and urgent task. Over the years, the work of weather observers and forecasters has been quiet, arduous, but incredibly important, contributing significantly to disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as effectively serving the socio-economic development of the locality.

The work of observers and forecasters contributes significantly to disaster prevention and mitigation.

"Taking the pulse"... of God

Quietly and silently, regardless of rain or shine, wind or storms, meteorologists and hydrologists tirelessly work day and night, "counting wind and measuring rain," striving to provide people with the most accurate information.

Many forecasters share the view that weather forecasting is a difficult and complex task, especially in tropical countries like Vietnam in general and Vinh Long province in particular.

Producing highly accurate weather forecasts requires forecasters to ensure the collection of all necessary data sources, including data and outputs from numerical forecasting models. Most importantly, the human element always plays a central and crucial role in ensuring forecast quality.

This means that forecasters must constantly update and enhance their professional knowledge, practical skills, and real-world experience, as well as their sense of professional responsibility. In addition, they must be persistent, dedicate significant time to researching and observing model products, and independently draw conclusions to produce the most accurate forecasts possible.

Having been involved in the profession for over 10 years, Mr. Tran Quoc Vy, a forecaster at the Provincial Meteorological and Hydrological Station, shared: "Although technology has improved and become more modern, weather and hydrology are becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable, so machines still cannot completely replace humans."

Even during thunderstorms, strong winds, and high waves, hydrological surveying staff continue their work. Similarly, when the weather changes and thunderstorms are likely to move into the province, every effort is made to quickly issue warnings, immediately transmitting them to the Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue Command Center via the Zalo application.

"Every number, every news report reflects a strong sense of professional responsibility and dedicated service, undeterred by difficulties or hardships, from those assigned to shifts and news broadcasts... with the aim of enabling the community to access and recognize phenomena early in order to proactively prevent and mitigate damage caused by natural disasters."

"To better meet the demands of my job, I am always committed to continuously learning and improving my knowledge and experience from previous generations and colleagues working in other units," Mr. Vy shared.

Recalling his most memorable experience in his profession, Mr. Vy said: “The most memorable moment for me was during Christmas 2017 when Typhoon Tembin (Typhoon No. 16) was heading towards Southern Vietnam. In preparation for the typhoon, the entire agency was on duty 24/7 at headquarters, and the meteorological station was ready to receive orders to observe data every hour or even every 30 minutes.”

Due to the dangerous nature of the river conditions, the hydrological station had to move its vessels to a safer mooring location. The office facilitated discussions between the central and local authorities, issuing an updated bulletin every three hours on the storm's location and path.

Fortunately, the storm entered the waters south of Ca Mau and weakened without causing any significant damage in Vinh Long province. That was the result of 48 hours of continuous work monitoring and forecasting the storm.”

Contributing to disaster prevention and mitigation efforts.

Despite the hardships, many people who choose to pursue a career in meteorology and hydrology see the job of "reading the pulse of the heavens" as a source of happiness, because it's not just a job they enjoy, but a passion they've had since their early days in the profession.

Sharing her reasons for choosing this profession, Ms. Phuong Nhung, a weather forecaster at the Provincial Meteorological and Hydrological Station, expressed: "When I was little, I often wondered about weather phenomena such as why it rains, why rain is often accompanied by thunder and lightning, why sometimes it just comes and goes quickly, while other times it rains for a long time..."

To answer my own questions, I researched and decided to study and pursue this field. While working as a weather predictor, I realized there are many interesting and fascinating things about weather that I need to continuously learn, research, and explore, because the weather changes differently every day, and predicting it is no easy feat. That's why I love my current job even more.

Although I haven't worked in this field for very long, just over two years, I've come to understand the significance and importance of weather forecasting for the local community and its people. Especially since Vinh Long is my hometown, I want to dedicate myself to contributing to my homeland through weather forecasts and warnings to minimize damage caused by dangerous weather conditions and help people be more proactive in their daily lives and production activities.”

According to Ms. Nhung, in recent years, weather phenomena have become increasingly complex and unpredictable. To minimize errors in forecasting, she constantly attends technology courses on forecasting and consults domestic and international models to improve her professional skills.

Participating in training courses organized by regional stations, always dedicating time to self-learning and learning from colleagues with rich experience and knowledge. Undeterred by difficulties, persistently striving to successfully complete assigned tasks and forecasting work serving the local area, and readily adopting and applying digital transformation to forecasting work.

Mr. Truong Hoang Giang, Director of the Provincial Meteorological and Hydrological Station, said: "Information on weather and hydrology plays a particularly important role in people's lives, and also helps functional agencies and localities have the earliest information to direct and manage disaster prevention and response to climate change. However, the weather and hydrological developments in the locality are becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable, and to serve the local needs, the forecasting team has to work continuously throughout the week."

In the coming period, the Provincial Meteorological and Hydrological Station will strengthen its participation in training courses, professional development programs, and technology transfer training in observation and forecasting to improve the quality of its human resources in a streamlined, efficient, and innovative manner, increasing the value of its workforce. It will also supplement its workforce with personnel from universities specializing in meteorology, hydrology, and oceanography, or provide on-the-job training for individuals who are healthy, agile, and capable of meeting job requirements.

Text and photos: THAO LY

Source: https://baovinhlong.vn/thoi-su/202410/tham-lang-nghe-dem-gio-do-mua-23931c2/