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Recognition and Impact of Vorticity Maxima and Minima in Satellite Imagery
Vorticity maxima and minima signatures are common features of the atmosphere. They indicate areas of ascending and descending circulation and atmospheric forcing and can be used to diagnose dynamic features such as the axis of maximum winds and deformation zones. This module provides insight on the analysis of these dynamic atmospheric features using Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite imagery. The module is an adaptation of Phil Chadwick's work from the series of modules in "Dynamic Feature Identification: The Satellite Palette".Writing TAFs for Ceilings and Visibility, Africa Edition
Writing TAFs for Ceilings and Visibility, Africa Edition outlines the processes for developing an effective Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) that meets International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines. Geared specifically to forecasters in Africa, the lesson includes a case study for an event impacting Cape Town International Airport to provide practice applying the processes to real-life forecast situations.Mesoscale Banded Precipitation
Precipitation frequently falls and accumulates in discrete bands with accumulations that vary markedly over short distances. This module examines several mechanisms that result in mesoscale banded precipitation, focusing primarily on processes at work in midlatitude cyclones. The module starts with a review of the Norwegian and conveyor belt cyclone models. Then several banding processes are examined in detail, including deformation/frontogenesis, the Trowal (Trough of Warm Air Aloft), frontal merger, CSI/slantwise convection, and melting/evaporation-induced circulations. The module concludes ...Assessing NWP with Water Vapour Imagery
You've seen it happen repeatedly. Forecasters have a tough forecast ahead of them. But how are they supposed to know which model data will be the best one to help them come to a conclusion about the situation? In situations like this, the first step should always be to assess the model data against a set of current observations that should show a 1-to-1 relationship with the model output. Which variable should be plotted? On which surface? Which current observations will make the most sense to assess against? If you know the answers to some, but not all of these questions, find these answers a ...Operational Models Encyclopedia
The availability of numerical guidance from NWP models has been an important component of operational forecasting for decades. For many, the output from this numerical guidance was produced by a mysterious “black box”. Rules for using and adjusting the guidance for operational forecasters were often subjective “Rules of Thumb” based on experience rather than based on quantitative analysis. To open up this “black box”, we produced this web-based “Operational Models Encyclopedia” linking both generic information on how NWP models work, and specifics on physical parameterizations, dynamics, and d ...S-290 Unit 3: Fuels
S-290 Unit 3: Fuels covers the effects of fuels on fire behavior and the terminology for describing fuel characteristics, as well as fuel models used for classification. This module is part of the Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior Course.What's New in the National Blend of Models version 3.1
Intended for U.S. National Weather Service forecasters, this short video describes changes to the NWS National Blend of Models when it was updated to v3.1. These changes include: More global, mesoscale, and ensemble components; Increased spatial resolution of some components; New and improved weather elements for aviation, QPF, winter, fire, and marine weather forecasting; Significant wave height for offshore waters and the Great Lakes; Improved bias correction; MOS-like text products; Shortened NBM forecast projections delivered at 19 UTC. For an illustrated transcript, see What’s New in NBM ...Introduction to Observing Oil from Helicopters and Planes
Aircrews and pilots are frequently the first to see oil spills on water. They provide critical eyes in the sky for U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) response teams and NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. Oil spill responders use a common terminology for describing and reporting oil spills. This lesson teaches aircrews how to identify, describe, and report spills using that terminology. Misidentifying natural events as oil spills is a common, and sometimes expensive, mistake. This lesson also points out common false positives when trying to identify oil spills. While our primary audience for this ...Typhoon QPF in Taiwan
This lesson (available in Chinese) introduces the typhoon QPF forecasting methodology used by the CWB, including the role played by the analogue method and the typhoon rainfall climatology model in Taiwan. The lesson discusses the advantages and limitations of the Ensemble Typhoon QPF model, and includes a case to help learners practice interpreting this guidance and summarizing it to Emergency Operation Centers. The lesson also highlights the need to use probabilistic forecasts instead of deterministic forecasts in order to account for the uncertainties associated with typhoon forecasting.Forecasting Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge
This lesson introduces forecasters to the various probabilistic guidance products used by the National Hurricane Center to forecast storm surge. It provides an overview of how these probabilistic surge products are created, their purposes, and why they are preferred to deterministic-only style guidance for specific events. The lesson also provides practice in correctly interpreting probabilistic storm surge guidance at various phases of an event. Basic familiarity with probabilistic forecast guidance is required. This online lesson is part of the Tropical Cyclone Storm Surge: Forecasting and C ...The Amazon Rain Forest and Climate Change
This module discusses global climate change that is occurring largely because of greenhouse gases emitted by human activities, and in particular the impact that tropical deforestation plays in the climate system. It also covers signs of climate change, the current thinking on future changes, and international agreements that are attempting to minimize the effects of climate change. The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Programme) is also discussed.Introduction to Meteorological Charting
This lesson provides a brief overview of surface and upper-air data and how these data are plotted on meteorological charts. The content introduces various charting and reporting techniques, including station models, contour analyses, streamlines, and upper air maps. Examples cover both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere and provide learners with opportunities to practice recognizing frequently used weather symbols. Supplemental materials include three Weather Symbol Identification drills. Completing these drills may require approximately 1-1.5 hours above the length of time estim ...MJO, Equatorial Waves, and Tropical Cyclogenesis
This case study focuses on monitoring of the MJO and equatorial waves and their role in tropical cyclogenesis. Learners will use conceptual models to understand the structure of the MJO and equatorial waves. They will identify and monitor those circulations using geostationary satellite images. 850-hPa synoptic analysis is used to track equatorial Rossby and mixed Rossby-gravity waves. Focus is on May 2002, a period when an MJO and associated equatorial waves spawned sets of twin cyclones over the Indian Ocean. This case study is similar to a synoptic meteorology laboratory exercise but is des ...Model Fundamentals - version 2
Model Fundamentals, part of the Numerical Weather Prediction Professional Development Series and the "NWP Training Series: Effective Use of NWP in the Forecast Process", describes the components of an NWP model and how they fit into the forecast development process. It also explores why parameterization of many physical processes is necessary in NWP models. The module covers background concepts and terminology necessary for learning from the other modules in this series on NWP. Back in 2000, the subject matter expert for this module was Dr. Ralph Petersen of the National Centers for Environmen ...Understanding Drought
Understanding Drought--This webcast provides an introduction to drought. It presents the measures and scales of drought and how drought is monitored. It also covers how drought is predicted, the impacts of drought, and provides information about drought-related resources. This content serves as a foundation to learning more about climate variability and operational climate services and prepares users for the national implementation of NIDIS. This module was last updated on Sept 28, 2009.Mesoscale Meteorology Effects on Fire Behavior
The “Mesoscale Meteorology Effects on Fire Behavior” module reviews the development of thermally forced winds in complex terrain and explores how these winds combine with the effects of terrain to influence fire spread. Three-dimensional conceptual animations illustrate these effects through a 24-hr period, as members of the team working this theoretical fire describe different aspects of weather, fire behavior, and operational fire fighting decisions at specific times during this day. This module is part of the Advanced Fire Weather Forecasters Course.ASMET: Satellite Precipitation Products for Hydrological Management in Southern Africa
This module introduces a variety of meteorological and hydrological products that can improve the quality of heavy rainfall forecasts and assist with hydrological management during extensive precipitation events in Southern Africa. Among the products are the satellite-based ASCAT, SMOS, and ASAR GM soil moisture products and the hydro-estimator. The products are presented within the context of a case, the flooding of South Africa's Vaal Dam region in 2009/2010.Heavy Banded Snow
This webcast is based on a presentation by Dr. Moore MSC/COMET Winter Weather Workshop in Boulder, CO, 4 December 2002. In it, he covers the definition of the TROWAL and its role in heavy snow production in the form of bands primarily located to the northwest of the surface low. The various conveyor belts associated with mature winter cyclones are emphasized. The roles of mid-level frontogenesis and conditional symmetric instability in these systems are discussed in the context of heavy snow development.Writing Effective TAFs in the Caribbean
The module reviews the fundamental steps for writing a Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) using guidelines and recommendations developed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This module outlines effective forecast methodologies to develop TAFs that represent the expected conditions that aviation customers can use to make operational decisions and minimize unnecessary costs. The module walks users through the process of analysis of satellite, surface, and observational data to create a TAF forecast for an airport in the Caribbea ...The U.S. Naval Observatory: Mission, Products, and Services
Founded in 1830, the United States Naval Observatory (USNO) is among the oldest scientific agencies in the United States. Initially tasked with restoring, repairing, and rating nautical instruments, the USNO today provides precise time and celestial measurements required for GPS, telecommunications, navigation, and other operations. Intended as an introduction to the USNO, this module examines how the Observatory goes about its mission, and briefly describes the science behind its observations and publications.Skew-T Mastery
Meteorologists typically examine atmospheric soundings in the course of preparing a weather forecast. The skew-T / log-P diagram provides the preferred method for analyzing these soundings. This module comprehensively examines the use of the skew-T diagram. It explores thermodynamic properties, convective parameters, stability assessment, and several forecast applications. The module is designed for both instruction and reference. It also comes with an interactive Web-based skew-T diagram that calculates several common forecast parameters.Statistical Methods in the NWS National Blend of Global Models Part 2
This lesson introduces users to the statistics used in generating the various weather element forecasts included in version 2 and 3 of the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) National Blend of Global Models (NBM). This Level 3 lesson is intended for forecasters and users of NWS forecast products; some prior knowledge of numerical weather prediction and statistics is useful. Learners will be introduced to the analysis of record used to calibrate the NBM’s bias and error estimates. Learners will also explore the bias correction, weighting, and post-processing procedures used to produce the forec ...Polar Satellite Products for the Operational Forecaster: Microwave Analysis of Tropical Cyclones
This module introduces forecasters to the use of microwave image products for observing and analyzing tropical cyclones. Microwave data from polar-orbiting satellites is crucial to today’s operational forecasters, and particularly for those with maritime forecasting responsibilities where in situ observations are sparse. This module includes information on storm structure and techniques for improved storm positioning using the 37 and 85-91 GHz channels from several satellite sensors. Information on current sensors and on the product availability in the NPOESS era is also presented.What's Coming in Hydrologic Impacts Studies?
In this recorded webinar from the Hydrologic Impacts Under Climate Change (HIUCC) course (June 2017), Dr. Julie Vano describes what the near future will likely bring in terms of hydrologic impacts studies. Her talk is parsed into four sections. Section 1 summarizes ongoing research. Section 2 discusses the sharing of hydro-climate information. Section 3 moves into the future and describes the process of planning, executing, and evaluation a climate impacts study. Section 4 provides concluding thoughts from Dr. Vano and includes three questions (and answers) from the HIUCC course attendees.Radar Signatures for Severe Convective Weather
This resource is intended for use as a job aid by operational weather forecasters in live warning situations and as a reference tool to better understand some aspects of severe thunderstorm warning events. Thumbnail images show typical representatives for sixteen radar reflectivity and velocity signatures as well as three primary severe storm types. Each signature links to content describing detection techniques and conceptual and diagnostic information to help determine storm severity. The majority of the examples shown are southern hemisphere storms in Australia; examples from the northern h ...
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