Global warming has created new job opportunities for meteorologists. The fashion industry has always relied on the changing seasons, but as The New York Times reported, "it seems the seasons have become as fickle as the fashion." The $200 billion American apparel industry has a new job description: weather forecasters, even "climate teams," who offer advice on what kind of clothing to sell and when - and the consensus is lighter weight, seasonless fabrics.
According to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, average temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere rose 1.5 degrees from 1979 to 2005, which translates to two fewer weeks of cold weather per year. Resorts in Switzerland, faced with melting glaciers and shrinking snow packs, are not only installing more snowmaking blowers, but also transforming their resorts with more off-slope activities and attractions such as spas or celebrity branded architecture.
The writing is on the wall for seasonal resorts, which solely rely on snowbirds and northern sun seekers. They need to start developing a Plan B to attract travelers with more than just sun, sea and sand. Sounds like there will be plenty more opportunity for meteorologists and other new job descriptions.
