Jason Ahsenmacher

Educational Background:

• I received my Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of North Dakota.

Describe the career path that led you to your current job with the National Weather Service.

• I was always fascinated by weather ever since I was a child. I used to watch radar on TV (this was back in the 90s!) to monitor severe thunderstorms in Minnesota. I would alert my family and let them know when we had to shelter in our basement during strong severe thunderstorms or tornado warnings. My family always said I would be a great weather man someday. 

  Having the knowledge that I would pursue weather early on in life was a huge benefit to me, since I had the desire and a pathway figured out prior to attending college. I knew as early as junior high what mathematics classes I would need to prepare me for university mathematics and an eventual degree in Meteorology. 

  The University of North Dakota program ended up being the best choice I ever could have made in selecting a university. It just fit perfectly for me, and I was able to save money through a reciprocity program with the state of Minnesota and North Dakota. Grand Forks, ND, is a sort of “weather hotspot” in the northern states. The university, a couple private meteorology entities, and a National Weather Service office all resided in Grand Forks. This offered me great opportunities, including volunteering in a NWS office. After graduation, I was able to seek employment immediately after graduating, as the owner of a road weather company at that time knew me well from the university program. That opportunity kickstarted my meteorology career.

  After a few years, I was able to seek employment in Utah working with the Department of Transportation in a Traffic Operations Center. After my contract ended, I felt it was a great time to look into a career with the NWS, which was always a dream of mine since I was young.

  I applied to several different Meteorologist Intern positions (back when it was still called the Intern!), and after several tries, I got my dream job working with the NWS North Platte office in 2011. North Platte will forever be a place I remember fondly, since it was my first NWS office, and I learned so much during my time there, especially about severe convective weather, since they are in the High Plains and see some of the most active weather in the US.

  Thereafter, I moved to Anchorage as a General Meteorologist and was there for 8 years. That opportunity solidified my love for mountain weather meteorology and micro-climate forecasting. I also learned to hone in my Impact-Based Decision Support (IDSS) skills there, as that location had some of the most challenging and difficult winter weather forecasting, I believe, in the US (right there with Juneau, Alaska). I met many great friends and colleagues there that I still remain in contact with to this day.
   

What do you do for the NWS?

• Since March of 2020, I have been a Lead Meteorologist at the NWS Fairbanks office. There has been a lot of learning and development for me, but I really love the position and work we get to do. Besides forecast for the largest land area among NWS offices, we have many unique opportunities to work with the diverse and varying locals of Alaska, which includes underserved communities, local tribal villages, and Wildland fire agencies, just to name a few. In addition, the lead meteorologist position is also a training position, and we have many opportunities to train and develop the next-generation of talented NWS mets.

What was the most interesting, exciting, or impactful weather/water event you experienced while working for the NWS and why does it stand out?

• The most exciting and interesting event I ever worked was also the scariest event I have ever worked. It was the November, 2018, 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck Anchorage, Alaska. I had been in many earthquakes in Anchorage, but that particular earthquake was extremely violent, long-lasting, and quick-hitting. I won’t forget the event because I was in the office, working as a lead-qualified General forecaster on the Lead Desk. After the earthquake hit, we then got word that the Tsunami Warning Center had just issued a Tsunami for Cook Inlet and Anchorage, and we shortly after got word from the Meteorologist-In-Charge to evacuate the office. Thankfully, a tsunami never hit, and there was amazingly zero loss of life from the earthquake, but there was quite a bit of structural damage in the city, as well as a lot of shaken nerves. 

What made you decide to pursue a career with the NWS?

• A life-long passion and enthusiasm for meteorology and weather! The NWS was always the pinnacle of meteorology and science, and I always knew I wanted to be a part of that. 

What do you like most about working for the NWS?

• Being able to work and collaborate with so many talented people is a major reason why I love this job. Whether it is colleagues in the NWS, within NOAA, or outside agencies, we have so many opportunities to work with amazing scientists and people with widely diverse backgrounds. In addition, working with the diverse group of customers and general public, especially here in Alaska, is very rewarding.

What advice do you have for someone interested in a career with the NWS?

• Follow your passion! Find what skills you can bring to the NWS, and just go for it. Working with the NWS for nearly 15 years now, I have met so many talented colleagues who had all sorts of unique experiences, talents, and passions. It doesn’t always need to be a passion for forecasting or meteorology. There are many talents and skill-sets which can be applied in the NWS, varying from IDSS, science, computer programming, social media and communication, program management, and more, which can be pursued in the NWS.  

What training or coursework would you recommend to someone interested in following your career path?

• For the basics, a degree in Meteorology/Atmospheric Science requires a pre-engineering background, thus a fair amount of mathematics and computer programming. Beyond the basics, there are a lot of secondary degrees and coursework worth pursuing, including business management, computer programming, GIS, and even psychology, which are useful skill sets in our field.

Anything else you want to share?   

• Never give up and always follow your passion!