Daryl Ritchison is the director of the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) and the North Dakota State Climatologist. In addition to these positions, he also teaches several classes at NDSU and speaks at events around the country.
Ritchison’s secret to keeping up with so many responsibilities is that he truly loves weather. “Honestly, I just absolutely love weather—people think I work a lot, but I never consider it work,” he said.
He didn’t always think he was going to be a meteorologist, though. Ritchison graduated from undergrad with a major in general education and a specialty in earth science. After undergrad, when he was having a hard time finding a job, he went back to school at Minnesota State University, Mankato to get a master’s degree in meteorology. “My father told me I was nuts and I should get a business degree so I could find a job…I ended up doing the meteorology degree where I emphasized atmospheric sciences, but I also got an MBA at the same time. It was crazy.”
It turned out that the degree in meteorology would serve him the most, when Ritchison was picked up by local media after he spoke at an event that they were covering. He wasn’t sure he wanted to take on the extra responsibility of working as a meteorologist on the weekends, but his graduate advisor strongly encouraged him to accept the position to bring attention to the meteorology program he was in. “I said well, they’re only offering me five dollars an hour and I have a lot on my plate right now, and he said Daryl, remember who has to sign your thesis…I took that as a serious threat.” He went on to work at that station for the next two decades.
When asked what he liked to do in his spare time, Ritchison admitted that weather is also one of his hobbies. “I’ve loved weather since I was five years old, and so in my free time I’m doing stuff for research, looking up stuff…I never get tired of it.” When not pursuing his weather-related interests, he also enjoys gardening.
After his time at the weather station, Ritchison worked in Sioux Falls, then did adjunct teaching at Minnesota State University, Mankato, then Concordia, and then NDSU for part of a semester in 2004. He returned to teach at NDSU last year to fill in after Dr. Akyüz passed away. Ritchison enjoys teaching meteorology because he believes that understanding weather is important for everyone, no matter what their major is. “Modern civilization shelters us from the weather a lot of the time, and I want to share my fascination with people—go outside, look up, and you can enjoy Mother Nature in so many ways.”
Ritchison says the best part of his job is hearing from his past students and people who have seen his presentations. “I love it when people come to me and they remember stuff I’ve taught them. Back in my TV days I went to a lot of elementary schools and did demonstrations, and people still come up to me and say they remember the stuff I showed them…those are the moments that make it all worthwhile and that’s what drives me in many ways.”