Road Map to the Study of Severe and Unusual Weather in METR 2603

 

We set the stage for this course by examining the Basic Concepts of Airmass Storms and Related Weather (Microbursts, Gust Fronts).  With those initial application areas in mind, we turn to the basics of meteorology that will provide the tools needed to understand a wide variety of severe and unusual weather.    Those tools, which will be included on Exam #1, include:

bulletForces and Acceleration
bulletPressure, Density, Temperature
bulletThe Concept of Atmospheric Stability
bulletVertical Structure of the Atmosphere
bulletMoisture and Phase Change:  The Basis for Clouds and Precipitation
bulletPrecipitation Processes
bulletThermodynamic Diagrams and Wind Hodographs

With these under out belt, we'll turn our attention to Severe Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Hail, Lightning and Related Phenomena, Hurricanes, Drylines, Operational Forecasting, Remote Observations of Thunderstorms, Downslope Windstorms, Lake-Effect Snowstorms, Radar and Remote Sensing, Societal Impacts, Global Climate Change and ElNino/LaNina, and other topics that you might find interesting.