Weather in my life: Liz Bentley

I grew up in Huddersfield, on top of the Pennines, in Yorkshire, during the 1970s and 1980s. The weather was always that bit more extreme up there and winters were much colder back then. One of my favourite weather memories is waking up after a heavy overnight snowfall. The moors were completely transformed into a white wilderness, the roads buried and walls topped with snowcaps. Walking to school became an adventure navigating around deep snow drifts – wild, beautiful and unforgettable. I think it was a combination of growing up somewhere where the weather was more extreme and having an inquisitive mind – always asking: ‘why is the weather like this?’ I used to try forecasting the weather myself just using a synoptic chart in the local paper. So I was hooked at an early age and a career in meteorology was on the cards for me from my teenage years. Experience across the various roles I had at the Met Office, as manager of BBC Weather and working in environmental research acquisition at the Ministry of Defence helped me develop a unique skillset highly applicable to my current roles. These include operational expertise, stakeholder engagement, partnership building, communication, strategic insight, programme management and a science-based approach. Together, these skills are essential to advancing RMetS’s mission to promote the understanding and application of weather and climate for the benefit of all. I’m also fortunate to be the current President of the European Meteorological Society (EMS) where I bring strategic leadership, guidance and representation to help the EMS flourish and grow. The most challenging is answering this question, as I’ve enjoyed all the roles I’ve been in. They are all so different, too, making it difficult to compare one against another. I feel very grateful that I’ve had such a varied career and would encourage anyone starting out in their career in meteorology to make the most of opportunities that come your way and don’t be afraid to try something new. If I had to pick one role that has been most rewarding, I guess it’s no surprise that it would be my current role as RMetS Chief Executive – and that’s probably why I’ve stayed in the role for so long. But the job has changed significantly over the last 12 years or so that I’ve been in it, such that it almost feels like two or three different jobs. The RMetS headquarters team has tripled in size over that time, allowing the Society to do so much more to support the science and those working in the profession. It is probably one of the most challenging roles I’ve had too. Being Chief Executive is demanding in every sense – balancing strategy, people and resources, and working under high pressure figuratively speaking (and sometimes literally – sorry for the meteorological pun!). And as a woman in leadership, it can be even more challenging, often requiring resilience, confidence and persistence to overcome stereotypes. But I’m always up for a challenge. For me there are three key points to remember: clarity, relevance and trust. Preparation involves distilling complex science into clear, jargon-free messages; linking impacts to people’s everyday lives and experiences; and anticipating likely questions or misconceptions. I will often prepare two or three key points or facts that I want to cover. I try not to rehearse too much but it is good to speak in soundbites, which does take a bit of getting used to. Finally, I’d keep in mind the audience and think about the appropriate level of detail – but also to find the right tone to connect with your audience, convey credibility and build trust effectively. Wow, it’s incredible to think how much things have changed during my 30 year career! When I started out, weather forecasting was still very much about hand-drawn charts and interpreting limited amounts of data, often a few hours out-of-date. Now, with advances in telecommunications, supercomputers and AI models, we can see and predict the atmosphere in ways we never dreamed possible. But it’s not just the technology that’s evolved – the whole field has broadened. Climate science has become central to global conversations, and meteorology isn’t just about predicting the weather anymore; it’s about understanding how our changing climate impacts communities, economies and ecosystems. I also think it is important how collaborative and inclusive the profession has become. There’s a much stronger connection between science, communication and society – and that’s exactly what we need to help people make sense of the weather and climate challenges we face today. Over the coming decades, I really hope the weather and climate science profession becomes ever more integrated, impactful and interdisciplinary. Forecasting and modelling will increasingly use machine learning and AI tools to generate high-resolution, personalised predictions; and operational meteorologists will increasingly act as translators of complex data into understandable guidance for businesses, governments and communities. The boundaries between weather and climate, hydrology, ecology, data science, social science and risk management will blur. For RMetS to thrive and lead in that future, it will need to evolve too. We must continue to lead the professionalisation of the weather and climate sector, for example through our burgeoning accreditation programme, so that weather and climate professionals earn and sustain public trust in an increasingly complex world. We must embrace new technologies, foster a diverse and inclusive community, and strengthen our role as a bridge between science, policy and society. The Society’s independent voice of authority, advice and advocacy also puts us in a unique position to remain at the forefront of addressing global environmental challenges. The Society will also need to amplify its educational outreach equipping not just the next generation, but society as a whole, with skills and knowledge to understand, respond to, and thrive in a changing climate. Fundamentally, RMetS must be as agile and forward-looking as the field it serves. But don’t take my word for it, check out the 175th anniversary series of opinion pieces to hear what some RMetS members think about what the future might hold for the sector: https://www.rmets.org/celebrating-175-years-royal-meteorological-society.