Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences

The students will experience hands-on activities designed to help them link theoretical concepts presented during lectures to the real time characteristics of the atmosphere. The students will apply the tools used by operational meteorologists in weather forecasting to idealized examples and real time weather events.

1. Introduction
   1.1  What is weather analysis and forecast?
   1.2  Guidance on weather forecast discussion
   1.3  Weather contest
2. Dimensions and units
   2.1  Systems of Measure
   2.2  Meteorological time keeping
   2.3  Variables important to meteorology
3. Observations format and weather symbols
   3.1  Land station surface synoptic reports
   3.2  Weather map symbols
4. Surface and upper air charts
   4.1  Isolines, air masses and fronts, high and low pressure centers
   4.2  Horizontal advection
5. Midlatitue cyclones
   5.1  Front passage
   5.2  Upper-air analysis
   5.3  Winter storm
6. Atmospheric moisture
   6.1  Measures of atmospehric moisture
   6.2  Measuring relative humidity and dew point
   6.3  Heat index
7. Saturation and atmospheric stability
   7.1  Adiabatic cooling
   7.2  Flow over a mountain
8. Cloud droplets and raindrops
   8.1  Cloud droplet growth
   8.2  Precipitation forms
9. Atmospheric motion
   9.1  Pressure gradient force
   9.2  Coriolis force
   9.3  Upper-level winds
10. Thunderstorms and tornadoes
    10.1  Lightning
    10.2  Air mass thunderstorms
    10.3  Severe thunderstorms
11. Thermodynamic diagrams
    11.1  Skew-T, Log-P
12. Tropical storms and hurricanes
    12.1  Energy supply and circulation
    12.2  Storm surge associated with a hurricane

Carbone, Greg: Exercises for Weather and Climate Ninth Edition, Pearson Education, Inc
ISBN 10:0-13-404136-4
ISBN 13:978-0-13-404136-0

The lab meets twice a week. Each lab will start with a weather discussion led by a student. Each lab, students will participate in a weather contest in which each student will submit a 3-day forecast for the minimum and maximum air temperature at Dulles International Airport, DC.

Lab work assignments will be assigned each week and the lab report must be turned in at the end of second lab of the week.