Week 15: 8 May
Finish with the gradient wind discussion. Discuss problem 4.2.
Informal discussion of vorticity.
Week 14: 1 May
Continue with the gradient wind discussion. Discuss assignment 9 problems.
Start on Chapter 5 topics, vorticity.
Week 13: 24 April
Read Chapter 4, applications of the fundamental equations. Assignments 7, 8 and 9.
Continue with the thermal wind discussion.
Use natural coordinates to derive weather.
We'll do the example problems together in class.
Week 12: 17 April
Read Chapter 4, applications of the fundamental equations. Assignments 7, 8, and 9.
Week 11: 10 April
Tuesday: Chapter 3, problem 3 discussion. Homework due at the end of the day.
Thursday: Midterm take home exam. No in class meeting on Thursday.
Read chapter 4 for next week.
Clouds with gravity waves on April 8th in Reno, and sounding.
Click image for larger version.
Lenticular Cloud by my sister, Pueblo Colorado, April 2023, and Tahoe Meadows Nevada Snow. Click images for larger version.
Severe weather
What is a supercell?
How do supercell thunderstorms work?
Supercell analysis video.
Surface winds and CAPE
Supercell composite parameter definition. Supercell composite parameter map from pivotal weather.
Safety lessons for storm chasers from the El Reno tornado.
Week 10: 3 April
Chapter 3. Read chapter 3, and Homework 6. Bring questions to class.
Dines compensation and the continuity equation, the energy equation and applications.
Severe weather
What is a supercell?
How do supercell thunderstorms work?
Supercell analysis video.
Surface winds and CAPE
Supercell composite parameter definition. Supercell composite parameter map from pivotal weather.
Safety lessons for storm chasers from the El Reno tornado.
Dines compensation and divergence in natural coordinates.
Lapse rate discussion video.
Hurricane Freddy: Longest lived and most energetic hurricane in history. Satellite imagery of Freddy.
Wind discussion.
Integrated vapor transport prediction for atmospheric rivers.
Reno seasonal precipitation and temperature numbers. (Look closely).
Week 9: 27 March
Problem 3.5. Jet streaks and ageostrophic flow.
Weather forecast: More snow and rain. Atmospheric river prediction.
Tornado outbreak in Mississippi. Further discussion of the tornado.
Chapter 3. Read chapter 3, and Homework 6.
Discuss wind direction and temperature gradients. (Geostrophic wind and low level circulation).
Next up: Ageostrophic flow and jet streaks, continuity equation, energy equation.
Hurricane Freddy: Longest lived and most energetic hurricane in history. Satellite imagery of Freddy.
Wind discussion.
Surface winds on March 9th in the evening.
Integrated vapor transport prediction for atmospheric rivers.Reno seasonal precipitation and temperature numbers. (Look closely).
Week 8: 13 March
Weather discussions: Thursday Michael.
Chapter 3. Read chapter 3, and Homeworks 5 and 6.
We will discuss problem 5 set up in class, thermal wind, jet stream, and seasonality.Wind discussion.
Surface winds on March 9th in the evening.
Integrated vapor transport prediction.Reno seasonal precipitation and temperature numbers. (Look closely).
Week 7: 6 March
Weather discussions: Tuesday Jolene, Thursday Joseph.
NOTE: If classes are cancelled due to snow we will still meet through Zoom.
Continue with chapter 2. Read chapter 2, and Homework 3. Work on Homework 3.
Coriolis force video. webm format also.
Geostrophic wind video. webm format also.
An atmospheric river is likely.
Atmospheric river description.
Atmospheric river research article from 2004 and a later one from 2017.
Figure from the 2017 article, general view of an atmospheric river.
Note on integrated vapor transport used to describe atmospheric rivers.
Integrated vapor transport prediction.
Meteorology:
National Weather Service forecasts. Pick a location, then scroll down and look at all of the products. Measured surface meteorology. Real time mesoscale analysis with rapid updates. RTMA-RU. Surface winds modeled for current and past conditions. (Earthwinds). 700 mb modeled wind, temperature, and frontogenesis. Note the times available for GFS model output (every 6 hours). Hemispheric satellite imagery: Look at channel 13, clean ir. Note the meteorology at different places, north and south of the equator. Large scale view. Scale of meteorological models (from here). |
| Sudden Stratosphere Warming monitoring. Right click on link and open it in a new tab.
UK Met Office Sudden Stratospheric Warming Blog. Video describing Sudden Stratospheric Warming. Right click on link and open it in a new tab. |
| Description and great video. |
Week 6: 27 February
NOTE: If classes are cancelled due to snow we will still meet through Zoom.
Continue with chapter 2. Read chapter 2, and Homework 3. Work on Homework 3.
Homework 4 assigned (weather forecast).
Tuesday: Chris. Thursday: Taelor.
Note: Include use of the 700 mb forecast map. We will discuss it in class also.
Here's an example from the GFS model from Thursday February 23rd. The image is shown below as well.
A GIF movie can be generated by using the button on the bottom right.
Here's another example from the NAM model.
Also:
The NAM model for the 250 mb map.
NAM model for total accumulated precip.
NAM model for 2 meter temperature anomaly.GFS model output, GOES 18 satellite imagery, and Radar during the snow storm Friday 2022 Feb 24 18z:
Radar and surface pressure
700 mb wind, temperature advection, and frontogenesis
250 mb wind and surface pressure maxima and minima
True color satellite image
IR satellite image and larger region view
IR satellite movie
Radar Composite movie, note the lack of coverage over Reno
GFS model output for 700 mb on Saturday 2022 Feb 25 12z:
NAM 3km model for 500 mb geopotential height, wind, and vorticity as a gif movie.
Summarizes the motion of the storm down the California coast, the stalling in southern CA, and the denoument as it is carried west.
RADAR data animation showing actual outcome.
IR GOES 18 animation showing high cold clouds.500 mb mean behavior. Several months. Week. (From here, bottom of the page.)
Meteorology:
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National Weather Service forecasts. Pick a location, then scroll down and look at all of the products. Measured surface meteorology. Real time mesoscale analysis with rapid updates. RTMA-RU. Surface winds modeled for current and past conditions. (Earthwinds). 700 mb modeled wind, temperature, and frontogenesis. Note the times available for GFS model output (every 6 hours). Hemispheric satellite imagery: Look at channel 13, clean ir. Note the meteorology at different places, north and south of the equator. Large scale view. Scale of meteorological models (from here). |
| Sudden Stratosphere Warming monitoring. Right click on link and open it in a new tab.
UK Met Office Sudden Stratospheric Warming Blog. Video describing Sudden Stratospheric Warming. Right click on link and open it in a new tab. |
| Description and great video. |
Week 5: 20 February
Thursday: Begin chapter 2. Read chapter 2, and Homework 3.
Figure for problem 2 in Homework 2.
Homework 2 due date moved to Wednesday.
Notes on chapter 1 so far (OneNote or PDF).We will work with HYSPLIT trajectory analysis in class, bring your laptop, tablet, or cellphone to follow along.
Work on Homework 2. Bring questions to class.
Read chapter 1 of Martin on mathematical methods.
Read about the HYSPLIT model for air trajectory calculations.
Fluid motion simulator.
Meteorology:
National Weather Service forecasts. Pick a location, then scroll down and look at all of the products. Measured surface meteorology. Real time mesoscale analysis with rapid updates. RTMA-RU. Surface winds modeled for current and past conditions. (Earthwinds). 700 mb modeled wind, temperature, and frontogenesis. Note the times available for GFS model output (every 6 hours). Hemispheric satellite imagery: Look at channel 13, clean ir. Note the meteorology at different places, north and south of the equator. Large scale view. Scale of meteorological models (from here). |
| Sudden Stratosphere Warming monitoring. Right click on link and open it in a new tab.
UK Met Office Sudden Stratospheric Warming Blog. Video describing Sudden Stratospheric Warming. Right click on link and open it in a new tab. |
| Description and great video. |
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Week 4: 13 February
Work on Homework 2. Bring questions to class.
Read chapter 1 of Martin on mathematical methods.
Continue this discussion.Read about the HYSPLIT model for air trajectory calculations.
Fluid motion simulator.
Vorticity discussion.
Meteorology:
Monday forecast for Reno, from here. Scroll down and look at the fields. Sacramento station forecast discussion for Reno. Daily Weather Maps for the Continental US. |
Surface winds modeled for current and past conditions. (Earthwinds). 700 mb modeled wind, temperature, and frontogenesis. Note the times available for GFS model output (every 6 hours). Hemispheric satellite imagery: Look at channel 13, clean ir. Note the meteorology at different places, north and south of the equator. Large scale view. Scale of meteorological models (from here). |
| Sudden Stratosphere Warming monitoring. Right click on link and open it in a new tab.
UK Met Office Sudden Stratospheric Warming Blog. Video describing Sudden Stratospheric Warming. Right click on link and open it in a new tab. |
| Description and great video. |
| Discussion of weather systems. Tornado meteorology discussion. |
Week 3: 6 February
Taelor provides weather discussion on Tuesday, Michael on Thursday.
Read chapter 1 of Martin on mathematical methods.
Surface winds modeled for current and past conditions. (Earthwinds).
700 mb modeled wind, temperature, and frontogenesis.
Fronts and air masses presentation as overview, helpful for forecasting.
Daily Weather Maps for the Continental US.
Surface meteorology during frontal passage in Reno.Hemispheric satellite imagery: Look at channel 13, clean ir. Note the meteorology at different places, north and south of the equator. Large scale view.
Hemispheric view of the tropopause pressure and sea level pressure.Discussion of weather systems.
Tornado meteorology discussion.
Infrared imagery: Atmosphere in motion.
Combined IR and visible satellite imagery for our neighborhood.
Jetstream: The National Weather Service online weather school.
Matrix of topics.
NASA EPSCOR UNR undergrad research scholarship opportunity.
How to read surface maps.
What is wind chill?
Global Forecast System Model (GFS).
Surface and 1000-500 mb. 250 mb wind. Further discussion from last week.
Tonga volcanic eruption and atmospheric response.
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Week 2: 30 January
Chris provides weather discussion on Tuesday, Jolene on Thursday.
Fronts and air masses presentation.
Discussion of weather systems.
Surface and 1000-500 mb. 250 mb wind. Further discussion from last week.
Hemispheric satellite imagery: Look at channel 13, clean ir. Note the meteorology at different places, north and south of the equator. Large scale view.
Hemispheric view of the tropopause pressure and sea level pressure.
Surface meteorology during frontal passage in Reno.
Tonga volcanic eruption and atmospheric response.
Infrared imagery: Atmosphere in motion.
Combined IR and visible satellite imagery for our neighborhood.
Jetstream: The National Weather Service online weather school.
Matrix of topics.
NASA EPSCOR UNR undergrad research scholarship opportunity.
How to read surface maps.
What is wind chill?
Global Forecast System Model (GFS).
Week 1: 23 January
Thursday:
Joseph provides weather discussion.
Fronts and air masses presentation.
Lows and highs, look especially at the pressure gradients surrounding them.
Meteorology during frontal passage in Reno.
Tonga volcanic eruption and atmospheric response.
NASA EPSCOR UNR undergrad research scholarship opportunity.
Tuesday:
Places to learn about what is going on in this class:
Daily Notes
Homework assignments have been posted
Forecast pageIntroductions: Name and major, and goals for this class.
Syllabus.Atmospheric Rivers: Potent source of water vapor for winter storms on the West Coast of the US.
Atmospheric river discussion.
Atmospheric river observation site.
Surface temperature anomalies forecasted by GFS to look at air masses and precip forecast.
Climate prediction center long range forecast of temperature and precip.
Presentation for fronts and air masses in preparation for assignment 1.
Infrared imagery: Atmosphere in motion.
Combined IR and visible satellite imagery for our neighborhood.Jetstream: The National Weather Service online weather school.
Matrix of topics.
