What Is CBM?

What CBM Means Here

The acronym "CBM" is shared by several unrelated credentials across different industries. On this site, CBM means Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and nothing else. It is a professional certification for on-air weather communicators, administered through the American Meteorological Society. If you arrived looking for a maintenance, mining, or other-field credential that happens to use the same three letters, this is not the page for it.

The credential recognizes two things at once: that a broadcaster has real meteorological knowledge, and that they can communicate weather clearly to a public audience. That dual focus is what separates it from a purely academic exam. For quick definitions of the term, our short explainers on what CBM stands for and CBM meaning cover the vocabulary, while this article walks through how the whole program fits together.

Who Issues It and Who It Is For

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) runs the program. The written test is currently delivered through a testing provider (SMT/Prometric), though older AMS materials still reference a previous provider, so always confirm details when you book your appointment. The credential is designed for people who present weather on air: television meteorologists, and broadcast weather professionals who explain forecasts and hazards to the public.

It is not an entry-level academic certificate. It presumes you already have a meteorology or atmospheric-science education and real on-air experience, which we detail in the eligibility section below. If you are weighing whether it suits your career, see our analysis in Is the CBM Certification Worth It?

The Two-Part Process: Written Exam Plus Weathercasts

Many candidates assume CBM is a single test. It is actually two distinct evaluations, and the second one is unusual among professional exams.

1. The written examination. A closed-book test of meteorological knowledge delivered at a testing center or remotely.
2. The weathercast evaluation. You submit two additional weathercasts, each active and routine, no longer than 5 minutes, which reviewers score against defined criteria.

Eligibility: Degree and On-Air Experience

Before you can sit for the written exam, you apply through AMS and document your qualifications. The core requirements are:

• An accredited meteorology or atmospheric-science degree, or an approved equivalent, with the required coursework verified through transcripts.
• Two years of full-time or three years of part-time on-air experience.
• Student-station work does not count toward the experience requirement.

The experience clause trips up newer broadcasters, so plan your timeline around it. Our CBM requirements guide covers eligibility and prerequisites in more depth, including how to think about whether your coursework qualifies.

Written Exam Format at a Glance

Two caveats matter. First, current pass rates are not publicly disclosed. A 2019 Board note estimated that about half of candidates passed the first weathercast evaluation, but that figure concerns the weathercast, not the written exam, and it is not a current statistic. Our CBM pass rate article explains what can and cannot be concluded from public data. Second, details such as calculator rules and adaptive behavior are unverified, so ask when you schedule rather than assuming. The specifics of scoring are in our CBM passing score guide.

The Fifteen Subject Areas

AMS publishes a written-test reference list organized under fifteen substantive subject headings. These are unweighted topics, not an official weighted or exhaustive blueprint. AMS does not publish topic percentages, so any practice-question allocation you see anywhere, including in prep materials, is editorial rather than official. Here are the areas, grouped for easier study.

Foundations and Climate

Observation and Forecasting Tools

Systems and Hazards

Professional Practice

For a deeper treatment of each area, see our complete guide to all 15 CBM content areas. If you want a compact reference to review the night before, the CBM cheat sheet condenses the must-know facts.

Fees and Scheduling Mechanics

The sequence matters: you apply through AMS first, and only then schedule your written exam. Each scheduling carries its own testing fee on top of the application fee.

Those totals exclude AMS membership dues and your preparation costs. Because the application fee is far lower for members, it is worth running the math on membership before you apply. The full breakdown, including retake considerations, is in our CBM certification cost guide, and scheduling windows are covered in CBM exam dates and deadlines.

How the Weathercast Evaluation Works

Beyond the written exam, you submit two additional weathercasts. Each should be an active, routine broadcast of no more than 5 minutes. Reviewers score on three criteria: Graphical Content, Explanation, and Presentation. You need an average above 3.0 in each of the three separately, so a strong score in one cannot offset a weak score in another.

If your weathercasts are in Spanish, an English transcript must accompany the submission.

Keeping the Credential Active

Certification is not permanent. The credential is valid for one year and renews annually, with a renewal fee of $206 for members and $515 for nonmembers. Separately, you must earn 28 professional-development points every five years. This ongoing commitment is part of what keeps the designation meaningful, and it should factor into your long-term cost planning.

Where the Credential Matters Professionally

The CBM is relevant primarily in broadcast environments: television stations and other media outlets that put meteorologists on air. For these employers, the credential signals that an on-air forecaster has been evaluated against an external standard for both knowledge and communication. It is one of several ways a broadcaster can document credibility, alongside education and experience.

We avoid quoting specific earnings here because public data does not support precise claims. For a qualitative discussion of how the credential relates to compensation and opportunities, see our CBM salary guide and our overview of CBM jobs.

Sequencing Your Preparation

Study planning should follow the structure of the exam rather than a generic calendar. One sensible approach orders the fifteen areas by dependency: foundations first, then tools, then hazards, then professional practice. The timeline below is a template, not an official schedule, so adjust it to your available weeks.

Because AMS publishes no topic weights, do not over-invest in any single area on the assumption it counts for more. Balanced coverage across all fifteen is the safer strategy. Our CBM study guide expands on this planning, and How Hard Is the CBM Exam? helps you gauge how much time to allow. When you are ready to test yourself, try the CBM practice tests to find weak domains early, and use the full practice question bank for timed runs.

Frequently Asked Questions