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SOUTH DAKOTA
SCHOOL OF MINES
& TECHNOLOGY
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Syllabus, ATM 450 [Fall 2008] Synoptic Meteorology 1
Who Where When
Reference Text
Stull: Meteorology for Scientists and
Engineers (2000) Second Edition *referenced as S*
FAA AC-00-45f: Aviation Weather Services
(2007)
HOTLINK THIS PAGE or download the PDF
of the full version. Do NOT order 00-45e
as a softbound (this document has been redone from the ground
up). *referenced as A* I urge you to get the soft bound
hard copy version. IMHO, no meteorologist should be without this reference.
Books on Reserve
Stull: Meteorology for Scientists and Engineers
Carlson: Mid-Latitude Weather Systems (1998)
(A bargin with AMS Student
Membership)
*referenced as C*
Bluestein: Synoptic-Dynamic Meteorology in Midlatitudes (1992)
*referenced as B*
Santurette & Georgiev: Weather Analysis and Forecasting. Applying
Satellite
Water Vapor Imagery and Potential Vorticity Analysis (2005)
*referenced as G*
Palmen & Newton: Atmospheric Circulation Systems (1969)
Djuric: Weather Analysis (1994)
Gear
You can get these from an office supply shop (no need to spend too much)
Colored Pencils
"Plain" fine-pointed pencil(s)
Darned-GoodTM Eraser (or two... or three...)
Straight Edge (a.k.a., a decent ruler)
Fine-point pens for Black, Blue & Red (I just use the good uni-
balls
from the office stores)
Whiteout Pen (see above)
Scope of the Course
Catalog Entry: 3 credits. Prerequisite: ATM 301. Analysis of surface
synoptic weather, upper air, and vertical temperature-moisture soundings;
the structure of extratropical storms, synoptic-scale processes responsible
for development of precipitation and severe weather
phenomena.
Synoptic Meteorology 1 serves as an introduction to operational meteorology.
In particular this course revolves around honing those basic analysis skills
you learned in previous courses (e.g., ATM 301) and introduces material from
your more recent, current and pending courses (e.g., dynamics) to paint a
more detailed picture (literally) of atmospheric and weather phenomena.
This course will also permit you to see “old school” and “new school”
approaches to weather analysis (from classic paper and pencil, to computer
based packages). We will also have the opportunity to occasionally interface
with our NWS office to compare and contrast their solution tools to the
training tools used at the university level.
Prerequisites and Qualification Standards
This course requires ATM 301 as a prerequisite. This course also
leverages differential and integral Calculus. This course supports the US
Office of Personnel Management requirements for the GS-1340 Meteorology Series by providing 3
semester hours of analysis of weather systems.
Lecture Schedule
Section One: The Classic and Modern Tools for Meteorological Analysis
| Date (2008) |
Topic |
Readings |
| 03 Sep |
Orientation, Station Models and Map
Contouring |
A (sec 5.1), Handouts (HO), S (p14) |
| 08 Sep |
Thermodynamics in Map
Reading |
S (p8-13, p43-49) |
| 10 Sep |
METARS |
A (sec 3.1) |
| 15 Sep |
Upper Air Analyses |
A (sec 5.2) |
| 17 Sep |
Atmospheric Soundings 1 |
S (p43-49, p95-105, p109-113, ch6) |
| 22 Sep |
Atmospheric Soundings 2 |
S (p43-49, p95-105, p109-113, ch6) |
| 24 Sep |
Models and Progs |
S (ch14) |
| 29 Sep |
Satellite Products |
HO |
| 01 Oct |
Radar Products |
HO |
Section Two: Understanding Atmospheric Phenomena and Dynamics through
Meteorological Analysis
| Date |
Topic |
Readings |
| 06 Oct |
Intro to Fronts |
HO, S (p251-265), C (HO ch13) |
| 08 Oct |
Frontal Dynamics 1 |
S (p179-189, p266-269), C (HO ch13) |
| 15 Oct |
Frontal Dynamics 2 |
HO, S (p269-275), C (HO ch14.3) |
| 20 Oct |
Middle Latitude Cyclones 1 +
General Circulation |
Intro Text (ch on MLCs), S (c12+ch13) |
| 22 Oct |
Middle Latitude Cyclones 2 |
S (ch13) |
| 27 Oct |
Isentropic Coordinates |
C (HO ch12) |
| 29 Oct |
Conveyer Belt Theory |
C (HO ch12) |
| 03 Nov |
Clouds and Precip in
Cyclones |
C (HO ch12) |
| (L)03 Nov |
Potential Vorticity Theory |
G (HOs) |
Section Three: Regional Weather Systems
| Date |
Topic |
Readings |
| 05 Nov |
Lee Cyclogenesis |
S (ch13), B2 (HO ch1.6.4) |
| 10 Nov |
Coastal Cyclones |
C (HO ch10.5-10.6) |
| 12 Nov |
Review |
Everything to now! |
| 17 Nov |
Cold Air Damming |
HO |
| 19 Nov |
Flash Flood Events |
HO |
| 24 Nov |
Severe Thunderstorms |
S (ch15) |
| 26 Nov |
Tropical Systems |
S (ch16) |
| 01 Dec |
Blocking Patterns |
C (HO ch12.7), B2 (HO 1.4.3) |
| 03 Dec |
Synoptics Review |
Everything to now! |
Section Four: Applied Weather Analysis: Prelude to Forecasting
| Date |
Topic |
Readings |
| 08 Dec |
Intro to Forecasting 1 |
HO |
| 10 Dec |
Intro to Forecasting 2 |
HO |
Grading
Quizzes (1/2)
There will be short bi-weekly quizzes on the previous labs and lecture
material
Lab Assignments (1/2)
Lab exercises will often be based on recent lectures and building off the
material learned in previous labs and lectures
ADA Statement and Specific Special Needs
"Students with special needs
or requiring special accommodations should contact the instructor, (Bill
Capehart, at 394-1994) and/or the campus ADA coordinator, Jolie
McCoy,
at 394-1924 at the earliest opportunity."
SD School of Mines Specifically for ATM 450 and
ATM 450L, this course uses skills that require color recognition and will
include computer and manual hand analyses of geospatial products. Students
with vision problems (e.g., color blindness)
or any other possible impediment should bring these issues to the professor
ASAP for
accommodation. Most issues ought not prevent participation in the
class.
SDSM&T Electronic Devices Policy
"Please turn off your cell phone before class starts. No text messaging in
class. No headphones. If you wish to use a laptop in this class for purposes of
note taking, that’s great; however, you will be required to download DyKnow
software and then join
ATM 450 to activate. Any attempt to circumvent the DyKnow monitoring
system will be considered a form of cheating and a breach of academic
integrity. Note that according to “Policy Governing Academic Integrity” in the
SDSM&T Undergraduate Catalog, the instructor of record for this course has
discretion of how acts of academic dishonesty are penalized, subject to the
appeal process, and that “Penalties may range from requiring the student to
repeat the work in question to failure in the course” (72-73). No other use of
any other electronic/computer media is allowed during class time."
SD School of Mines
Specifically for ATM 450 and 450L: As ATM upperclassmen you are "on duty"
professionals in this course. I will treat you as such. Therefore,
cell phones on vibrate only under
reasonable (e.g., emergency) use. Instant Messaging and other
non-relevant, inappropriate and otherwise non-directed internet usage is
absolutely forbidden. You will be given a secure UNIX/LINUX account,
observe all proper security and acceptable use policies.
The GIS Lab (MI 325) is managed by GEOL/GEOE, and we are guests in that
facility.
This is a secure laboratory, and any key codes given to
students
through GEOL/GEOE will not be shared beyond the ATM 450 membership.
All food
and drink are also forbidden regardless of general GIS lab policy. The MI
building is also secure after hours.
Those students requiring off-hour access will be provided necessary keys
and
properly briefed on building security and what to do to people who use rocks
to
prop open the outside doors.
SD BOR Freedom of Learning Statement
"Students are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in
which they are enrolled. Under Board of Regents and University policy,
student academic performance shall be evaluated solely on an academic basis
and students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views
offered in any course of study. Students who believe that an academic
evaluation is unrelated to academic standards but is related instead to
judgment of their personal opinion or conduct should contact the dean of the
college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.
"
SD Board of Regents
Selected Links
Contact: William Capehart
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Last Modified: 09/02/2008 |
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