Sailing into Weather with Chelsea Carlson

Want to know how to find your dream job? Today’s guest is Meteorologist Chelsea Carlson, and she’s here to teach you a thing or two about finding a job you love and our weather systems. From a young age, Chelsea knew that she wanted to study weather. Growing up sailing, weather was a constant variable, and one that ignited her curiosity. Tune into today’s episode to learn how this meteorologist combined her love of sailing and weather and found her dream job (and how she eventually earned an actual, paying position). Learn how the ocean and our weather systems are inextricably linked, even if you live in the center of a continent or on the other side of the world. We also chat about Chelsea’s experience sailing through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch during her undergrad at University of Miami and training Team USA for the 2020 Olympics.

Connect with Chelsea:Fwebsite|email

Quick Links
How seasons work
Marine boundary layer
UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Modes of the Atmosphere/ENSO
Hurricane Dorian
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sea Semester
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)
Celestial Navigation
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Commander’s Weather
Spaghetti models
Enoshima, Japan Sailing
UN climate summit
Fridays for future
Greta Thunberg
Hurricane Andrew
Long Island Sound
Martha’s Vineyard
Buzzard’s Bay Sailing
Block Island Wind Farm
Tierra del Fuego

Show Notes
How the atmosphere is a liquid ocean [3:05]
What are cold fronts, really? [4:10]
Why are we talking about the weather on a marine biology podcast [9:01]
Even if you live in the center of a continent, you’re still affected by oceanic weather patterns [12:30]
Ingredients for hurricanes [13:32]
Hurricane or typhoon? What’s the difference? [18:35]
Modes of the atmosphere: El nino, la nina. What is ENSO? [21:00]
Thunderstorms make a meteorologist [26:05]
Making the decision NOT to pursue a graduate degree [29:08]
Epic sailing adventures- taking advantage of undergrad opportunities [29:52]
Great Pacific Garbage Patch [34:49]
How to sail “into” the wind [38:05]
Excellent job advice – who’s doing the job you want? And how to get your dream job! [39:05]
Purpose of private weather companies (which are a thing!) [42:52]
Training Team USA for the Olympics! [47:52]
Climate change and weather [53:02]
Effects of climate change on the ocean (acidification, warming) [57:08]
Favorite part about being a meteorologist – knowing whether I’m right or wrong! [1:01:42]
Entropy always wins [1:06:03]
Best and worst field story rolled into one – racing offshore sailboats [1:06:55]
A meteorologist’s favorite sea creature [1:11:02]
Call to Action: Focus on your local community! [1:12:25]