Stephanie Barsby spends her workday predicting the future. As the meteorologist for CBC Edmonton, she tells listeners and viewers what to expect from the weather.

But it's been a long road: after graduating from Radio and Television in 2000, she embarked on a country-wide, resumé-building spree, reporting and anchoring for radio and television in places like Medicine Hat, Sudbury and Winnipeg. Recently, she fit in an interview between her weather updates to explain what it takes to be a soothsayer.

I left edmonton for eight years to concentrate on my career, but my dream was to get back, and I thought the best way to do that was to become a meteorologist. So I took Mississippi State's online meteorology program and when I graduated in 2007, I accepted a position with CBC Edmonton.

I make my own forecasts. That's the difference between being a meteorologist and a TV "weather presenter"; every map and graphic you see, I've created. I don't rely on forecasts from Environment Canada. It takes about three hours: I have four computers in front of me and I look at factors like temperature, wind, sky condition, precipitation . . .

Being out in the community is an important part of the job. Every day is different: I may be broadcasting from a festival or another event. I really enjoy going into classrooms and talking about the science behind the weather. It's a shining moment in the day.

I'm a single mom, and as any working mother will tell you, it's almost impossible to find childcare past 6 p.m. I work until 6:30 p.m. at a minimum. I have a great support network and I'm a true believer in the saying, "'it takes a village to raise a child." Probably the hardest thing is giving CBC 110 per cent every day and being a good mom, because you can't do that and be a workaholic. It's a balancing act.

Why is the forecast sometimes wrong? Well, it is not an exact science. In the end, you're trying to predict the future.

The Skinny

• Pay: $69,201 (average annual salary)
• Location: With few meteorologists in Canada, most urban centres are looking to hire.
• Work hours: 40 hours a week, minimum
• Education requirements: Meteorology credentials and broadcast experience