The Met Office offered a career involving maths, geography, which I loved at school, and the weather. Isobel began by working as a researcher and had plenty of opportunity to use her maths. Modern-day weather forecasting involves a great deal of analytical work which draws on models of atmospheric behaviour, hence the work entails a good understanding of physics and applied maths. It became all hydrodynamics and analytical methods.
Training is very much on the job.
You're constantly learning how to interpret the weather. Some of the older presenters don't have degrees but have a wealth of knowledge gained from years of experience and you really respect their feel for the weather. So the next time you hear that bright and breezy forecaster's voice in the morning, remember they haven't just got up but are about to clock off. It's easy to overlook just how difficult it can be to forecast the weather, simply because there are so many complex variables acting simultaneously which can mean the difference between rain or shine. However, it's a case of believing in your interpretation and keeping your fingers crossed.