Well, I intended to post more during the semester, however, my schedule was a lot busier than I anticipated. I’m currently in the midst of what could (should) very well end up being my last final as a student. The exam is Thursday at 1PM. I’ll try to resume a more regular posting pattern after the exam.
The course in the title of the post is the School of Meteorology’s “tie it all together” course for its seniors. This is a 4 credit hour course (that actually meets for 8 hours a week). This year the course instructor is Professor Kevin Kloesel (who also serves as Associate Dean for the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences). I have the privilege of serving as one of the two TAs for the course, as well as guest instructor for the times Prof. Kloesel has been (will be) out of town.
This is the course I’ve wanted to TA since my being at OU; this is also the course I would want to teach every year if I were a professor in a school or department of meteorology. It’s the course that deals with tying together all the equations and pieces of knowledge that students have acquired during their studies at OU via looking at actual weather maps and data. To me, there is something rewarding about looking at weather maps on a daily basis and developing an understanding – and appreciation – of what is on going in the atmosphere.
This year’s synoptic class has 54 students in it. This is by far the largest undergraduate synoptic class – ever. Because of the size of the class, Prof. Kloesel is trying something different this year. There are no prepared exams; Mother Nature prepares a daily examination. Book-based assignments do not have a due date (except the end of the semester); there simply might not be enough time to get the assignments done because of Mother Nature’s daily examinations. Map analysis occurs on almost a daily basis. In short, there is no predefined curriculum of what is going to occur on a given day. Prof. Kloesel and I wake up every morning, take a look at what opportunities and teachable moments the atmosphere has presented, and then attempt to create a daily lesson based on that day’s opportunity.
So far this semester the students have worked very hard. On the very first day of class, the students were given a blank surface map and given 30 minutes to analyze it. (This turned out to be an all class period assignment.) The students also were given a blank skew-t diagram and the raw data and told to plot the sounding by hand. All the while trying being expected to analyze the 500mb and 250mb maps. On day three, students were given 10, 500mb charts (24 hours apart) that had the dates and times removed and were expected to put the charts back in order. (Oh, by the way, the charts were given to them in-order to start with…). Day four yielded a discussion about a tropical system in the western Atlantic and their first “proficiency evaluation”. Following weeks have yielded discussions on how to identify whether a trough will dig (move equator-ward)or lift (move pole-ward) – Meeker’s method – or if they will intensify (deepen) or weaken (fill) – using 1000-500mb thickness charts. A guest lecture by the Storm Prediction Center’s (SPC) Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM), Greg Carbin, yielded a discussion about doing composite charts via pencil and paper – which promptly led to a “proficiency evaluation” on that very topic the following day.
This is the fourth week of class and all of the students have worked hard – and come a long way, although they can’t see it. However, Prof. Kloesel and I can. The students should be proud of how hard they have worked and how far they have come, but the journey for them is just beginning – not ending. There are a lot of exciting things still to come. Beginning next week, students will be expected to give a quick map briefing in front of their peers. This map briefing will focus on four questions that are usually left out of the forecast process:
Notice the absence of anything related to a “forecast”. We aren’t there yet. Students need to be able to understand the analysis process if they have any chance at being able to produce a coherent forecast. That’s what these briefings will focus on the next couple of weeks.
As part of this upcoming emphasis on preparing coherent map briefings (not discussion), I am going to try to post a blog every day addressing these 4 questions. It is my hope that some of the students will stumble across these posts via this blog or via Facebook (which posts snippets from this blog whenever I post).
Now, where did I put that 500mb hand analysis…
VORTEX II (Verification of the Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes EXPeriment) is scheduled to begin on 10 May and last through 13 June. I’ll be manning the VORTEX II Operations Center (VOC) here in Norman on a daily basis. In addition to this, I’m currently writing code (in my spare time) to generate images of model output for use by forecasters in the VOC. All of this is on top of my current research and school work – which includes making corrections to a journal article and editing a political science paper that needs to be submittd ASAP. This is certainly a rough end of the semester; and it only goes down hill from there.
Last week a devastating ice storm ravaged parts of the United States; as of this writing, a little under 500,000 customers remain without power. Three days from now will be the first anniversary of the deadliest tornado outbreak in over 20 years. May will mark the 10th anniversary of the 3 May 1999 tornadoes in Oklahoma and southern Kansas. I know most people won’t think anything of these events, however, to me, these events are what either got me interested in meteorology or further my curiosity on the subject.
Synoptic meteorology is a sub-discipline within meteorology that focuses on analysis and prediction of large-scale atmospheric phenomena. The events mentioned above all stem from synoptic systems. Unfortunately, meteorology as a science is rapidly moving away from studying and, as a result, teaching synoptic-scale meteorology. Researchers will argue this is because there is “no money” in studying these topics, and to some degree they are true – money is going to radar research, large supercomputers for running numerical models, and building new satellites. (Congressmen need to have a large piece of “hardware” or equipment to stand in front of for their photo-op.) I had hoped when I came to OU that this “Mecca of Meteorology” would be immune to this de-emphasis. I was sadly mistaken. Norman is rapidly becoming a radar town.
So, what does this have to do with “map discussions”? I have had the fortune of being a member of a listserv that is dedicated to synoptic meteorology. Reading the emails that come across the listserv has been a source of pleasure for me lately, but at the same time, a source of disappointment. I long to have something of this locally – where students, faculty, and operational meteorologists can argue over the ongoings of the atmosphere. It is in this setting – where passionate discussion prevails – where learning occurs. It is also in this setting where the next generation of inspirational meteorologists are born.
I have been told by a great researcher – one whom I respect greatly – that if I wish to see something like this here in Norman, it’s going to take inspired students taking the initiative. It is my hope and prayer that before I graduate something like this will take hold here in Norman. I know I’ll do my part.
Today started the new semester at one of the two universities at which I’m teaching this spring. Yes, you read that right, two universities. In fact, I’m teaching (or co-teaching) four classes, in three disciplines, at two universities. The classes are
In addition to teachings these classes, I’m chair of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) at the School of Meteorology, preparing for my role as a nowcaster in the meteorological field project, VORTEX II, and beginning my preparation to take the qualifying exam.
…I’m in for a busy semester…
