MESOSCALE METEOROLOGY   SPRING 2015

Office Hours: M-F 9:30-10:30 am

About this course: This course provides a comprehensive study of the structure, evolution, and dynamics of atmospheric phenomena having spatial scales between 2 and 2,000 km.  Topics include thermal circulations, the dryline, fronts and frontogenesis, coastal fronts, gust fronts, air-mass thunderstorms, multicell thunderstorms, supercells, mesoscale convective systems, bow echoes, derechoes, tornadoes, gravity waves, mountain waves, barrier jets, mesoscale modeling and more.  You will study the phenomena through examination of data from a variety of observing platforms, mesoscale models, case studies, and multi-media instructional modules.

Goals of the course:

1.     To understand the structure, evolution, and dynamics of commonly observed mesoscale phenomena

2.     Develop necessary knowledge to detect and forecast their occurrence in a forecast office.

3.     Further develop data analysis skills 

Course Prerequisites: The junior core:  You need to have earned at least a C- in each of these courses before taking Mesoscale Met. 

Required text: Mesoscale Meteorology in Midlatitudes by Markowski and Richardson - it's in the book store.

Preparation for Class: Is critical as this is a flipped class. You will get the most out of this class by studying the pre class modules and text reading assignments. Every class will have a pre class assessment to ensure you are keeping up with the material.

In Class : We will start every class by discussing material that is confusing in the text and modules. So, as you go through the pre class material, please write down questions about content that is confusing or that peaks your interest. After answering the questions, we will move onto in class activities that go deeper into the material at hand. The in class activities may be solving problems, looking at data sets, running a computer model, or analyzing journal articles. Some of these activites will be turned in for your "in class assessment" grade.

Makeups and late assignments: There will be no makeup assignments. All assessments MUST be turned in on time, no credit will be given to late assessments.

Grading: The grading breakdown for your course grade is as follows:

• Pre Class Assessments: 10%
• In Class Assessments: 25%
• Quizzes: 65%

Grading Scale

100-90% A

89-80% B

79-70% C

69-60% D

59-50% F

Attendance and Academic Honesty: As per Lyndon State College Catalog. If you miss class more than 4 times without prior notification of your absence, you will fail the class.

Reasonable Accommodation statement:   Students with disabilities who request accommodations are asked to provide a certification letter within the first two weeks of class. Students should contact Mary Etter, Learning Specialist, in the Academic Support office to arrange for the appropriate letter to be sent.

How to be successful in this class:  

• Study the modules and text readings thoroughly
• Manage your time well. You should be putting in a minimum of six hours every week outside of class with this material.
• Participate in class - ask questions.
• Work hard.
• Note: this class is offered only every spring.

Course Outline

INTRODUCTION TO MESOSCALE METEOROLOGY

• Definition of scales
• Resolvable scale in NWP models

 THERMALLY DRIVEN CIRCULATIONS

• sea/land/lake breezes
• valley winds and drainage flows
• heat island effect

 FRONTS

• near-surface frontal models and frontogenesis
• sea-breeze fronts
• dryline
• coastal fronts
• topographically induced fronts - DCZ
• density currents
• gust fronts

 CONVECTION

• airmass thunderstorms
• multi-cell thunderstorms
• supercells
• squall lines - 2D and 3D
• MCC's/MCS's
• boundary layer convection
• updrafts and downdrafts
• mesohighs
• convection initiation

 SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS

• bow echoes
• derechoes
• downbursts/microbursts - wet and dry
• tornadoes - supercell and nonsupercell
• hail

 WAVES

• gravity waves
• bores/solitary waves
• mountain waves
• CAT

 INSTABILITIES

• CSI
• K-H instability
• buoyant instability

 MESOSCALE MODELING

• commonly used models 
• overview of model parameters and model physics
• comparison with large-scale operational models
• simulation of a thunderstorm

FLOW INTERACTION WITH TOPOGRAPHY

• Mountain Waves
• Barrier Jets
• Down Slope Winds