Jeff Mock (2004 B.S.)
Energy Meteorologist at DTN/Meteorlogix

In addition to meteorology, I've long had keen interests in business and financial decision making. It was my original intention to pursue a career forecasting for energy and other commercial industries; however, at the same time I was working toward my degree in meteorology, I was moonlighting as a radio air personality. I went on to intern at The Weather Channel Radio Network, followed by my first full-time job in meteorology as a radio broadcast meteorologist at Saint Paul based Weather Eye.

Although my focus at Weather Eye was on general weather forecasting, communicating, and live severe weather coverage, my duties allowed me to get my first taste of forecasting for utility clients. I realized that as much as I enjoyed broadcasting, I appreciated the challenge of forecasting for the energy clients even more. In December 2006, the opportunity arose for me to join the Minneapolis office of DTN/Meteorlogix as an energy meteorologist.

I delight in assisting various clients from a variety of industries who must make financial impacting decisions based on the weather information provided by Meteorlogix. Not only do I create custom forecasts for utility, transportation, agriculture, construction, and recreation clients, but I also include information about the most probable scenario, the worst case scenario, etc. Many power clients are concerned about extreme temperatures continuing for multiple periods, stronger wind gusts, and lightening. It is important to have advance warning, know the probability and severity of the storms, and the coverage of the lightening. The energy companies make on-call staffing decisions based on this probability. As an energy forecaster some companies require not only a forecasted temperature but also a confidence level for that temperature and a warm or cold bias.

Many of the decisions that our clients must make are production and staffing related, but others include choices that impact public safety or delaying the start of a ball game. Penn State's risk management classes combined with my meteorology degree have been very beneficial in understanding how my forecasts will impact these companies and how I can better communicate my knowledge to help make smarter decisions.