MEA 444: Mesoscale Weather Analysis and Forecasting


Wolfware page for this course (gradebook and feedback)
Schedule for forecast briefing teams             Forecast discussion forum             Enter a forecast
Instructor's "forecasting work-up" weather links             Instructor's "regional nowcasting" weather links
Definition of the mesoscale, approximations to the governing equations, basic measurements and techniques; observations and basic governing dynamics of mesoscale phenomena, including fronts, jet streaks, drylines, gravity waves, conditional symmetric instability, orographically-induced circulations, convective storms, mesoscale convective systems, and hurricanes; basics of mesoscale numerical modeling and predictability.

Spring semester, 2008

Link to home page of MEA444 from Spring 2007

Professor: Dr. Matthew D. Parker, 5149 Jordan Hall, mdparker@ncsu.edu, office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 1:00-2:00 PM

Assistant: Adam French, 5138 Jordan Hall, ajfrench@ncsu.edu, office hours: Mondays and Thursdays, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM.

This class is scheduled to meet in Jordan Hall 5131
Mondays, 2:30-3:20 PM
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 3:00-4:50 PM (changed from the original schedule of 3:35-5:25 PM)

required texts:
A Survey of Mesoscale Meteorology, by Markowski and Richardson.
            This text is in PDF format (i.e. the bookstore does not have it).
            Click here to go to our secure class download site for the full color version (available on this server with permission).
            We will order a printing of black and white copies of the text for everyone from campus printing services.
            The cost to students will be approximately $20.

recommended supplemental texts:
The Operational Meteorology of Convective Weather, Volume I: Operational Mesoanalysis, by Doswell.
            This text is in PDF format (i.e. the bookstore does not have it).
            Click here to go to our secure class download site (available on this server with permission).
Synoptic-Dynamic Meteorology in Midlatitudes, Volume II, by Bluestein (Oxford Press)
Severe Convective Storms, ed. by Doswell (AMS)
Mesoscale Meteorology and Forecasting, edited by Ray (AMS)

prerequisite coursework:
MEA 443: (Synoptic) Weather Analysis and Forecasting (I), and all of its prerequisites


Course announcements

1/2: We will do some thinking and learning on the first day of class, so please show up prepared.
1/2: We will gather at the appointed time of 3:35 PM for our first day of class (wednesday Jan. 9th). However, in an attempt to keep a more pleasant schedule for the remainder of the semester, we will plan to meet on Tuesdays-Thursdays from 3:00-4:50 PM (instead of 3:35-5:25). Monday's course meeting time (2:30-3:20) will not change.
1/17: Handed out lab exercise 1. It is due at the start of class on 1/28.
1/17: Next week, we will have in-class lab work time from 3-4 PM, and will meet in the lab at 4 PM for weather briefings. Attendance for the work session is optional, but attendance of the briefings will impact your participation grade.
1/17: We decided to try having briefings only on Mondays. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays we will have a lecture and a briefing. On Thursdays, we will have a double classroom session, normally 1/2 lecture and 1/2 lab.
1/31: Handed out lab exercise 2. It is due at the start of class on 2/5.
1/31: Handed out review sheet for exam 1. The exam will be held in class on Thursday, 7 February.
2/13: We will meet at our normal time tommorow (Thursday, 2/14). As a class, we will attend the mesoscale dynamics seminar at 3:30 PM.
2/19: There will be an in-class lab tommorow (Wednesday, 2/20). It will be due at the end of class.
2/20: The in-class lab was post-poned, and will be conducted in class on Tuesday, 26 February.
2/21: Handed out review sheet for exam 2. The exam will be held in class on Thursday, 28 February.
3/12: Handed out lab exercise 5. It is due at the start of class on 3/20.
3/19: Handed out lab exercise 6. It is due at the start of class on 3/27.
3/19: Handed out information about the semester case study project. Please review the handout and note the deadlines associated with the project.
3/25: Handed out the pre-lab assignment for lab 7. It is due at the start of class on Thursday.
3/27: Handed out lab exercise 7. It is due at the start of class on 4/1.
3/27: Handed out review sheet for exam 3. The exam will be held in class on Thursday, 3 April.
4/10: Handed out lab exercise 8. It is due at the start of class on 4/17.
4/15: Handed out the pre-lab assignment for lab 9. It is due at the start of class on Thursday.
4/17: Handed out lab exercise 9. It is due at the start of class on 4/22.
4/17: Handed out review sheet for the final exam. The exam will be held from 1-4 PM on Friday, 2 May.
4/22: Announced that the final exam review session will be held on Wednesday 30 April at 3 PM. If the normal classroom is in use then we will go over to the lab.

Course handouts and other documents in PDF format

Tentative course syllabus
Course overview and policies
PPT slides for 1/9
PPT slides for 1/10
PPT slides for 1/14
How to plot forecast soundings for any model in NSHARP
PPT slides for 1/15
PPT slides for 1/16
Handout: Guidelines and philosophy for weather briefings in MEA444
Rules for the class forecast game
PPT slides from instructor's sample briefing on 1/16
Lab exercise 1
Handout: A basic, ingredients-based approach to the convective forecasting process
PPT slides from instructor's sample briefing on 1/17
Info about the briefings and scheduling, as transmitted by e-mail on 17 January
PPT slides for 1/29
Overview of SPC forecast products
PPT slides for 1/30
Lab exercise 2
Review sheet for first midterm exam
PPT slides for 2/5
PPT slides for 2/6
Midterm exam 1
PPT slides for 2/14
Schedule and instructions for the mesoscale dynamics seminars in February
Mid-semester tips for improving your briefings
PPT slides for 2/19
PPT slides for 2/20
Review sheet for second midterm exam
PPT slides for 2/26
In-class lab exercise 4
Midterm exam 2
PPT slides for 3/11
PPT slides for 3/12
PPT slides for 3/13
Lab exercise 5
PPT slides for 3/18
PPT slides for 3/19
Lab exercise 6
Semester case study project instructions
Sign-up register for semester case study choices
PPT slides for 3/25
Pre-lab assignment for lab 7
PPT slides for 3/26
PPT slides for 3/27
Lab exercise 7
Review sheet for third midterm exam
Midterm exam 3
PPT slides for 4/08
PPT slides for 4/10
Lab exercise 8
Pre-lab assignment for lab 9
PPT slides for 4/17
Lab exercise 9
Review sheet for final exam
Schedule for semester project presentations
PPT slides for 4/21
Final exam
Answer key for final exam