Will There Be a "Twisters Effect" on Meteorology Enrollments? Data From the Past, Projections for the Future

There is widespread anecdotal evidence that the May 1996 film "Twister" influenced the career choices of at least one generation of atmospheric scientists. The data on degree recipients in our field correlate well with this assertion. National Center for Education Statistics data show that the number of annual B.S. recipients in the atmospheric sciences rose from around 440 when the movie debuted, which was the same number as in the early-to-mid 1980s, to nearly 740 in 2007. Since the late 2000s the annual number of bachelor's recipients has plateaued and remained generally at or near historic levels between 650 and 750 annually into the 2020s.

The long-awaited sequel to "Twister," named "Twisters," was released in July 2024. Will history repeat itself with a substantial increase in meteorology enrollments and degree recipients? In this talk I will present data-driven arguments for and against a repeat of history this time around, as well as the pros and cons of such a development. I will also propose some possible actions for educational institutions to take to prepare for a media-influenced increase in undergraduates in our field, if it materializes, to mitigate a mismatch between the supply of B.S. recipients and demand for meteorologists in the future.