MEA 444: Mesoscale Weather Analysis and Forecasting


Template page for in-class forecast discussions
Schedule for forecast briefing teams             Forecast discussion forum             Enter a forecast
Instructor's "forecasting work-up" weather links             Instructor's "regional nowcasting" weather links
Wolfware page for this course (gradebook and feedback)
Definition of the mesoscale, approximations to the governing equations, basic measurements and techniques; observations, basic governing dynamics, and forecasting of mesoscale phenomena, including drylines, low-level jets, conditional symmetric instability, orographically-induced circulations, thunderstorms, mesoscale convective systems, and severe convective weather.

Spring semester, 2009

Link to home page of MEA444 from Spring 2008

Professor: Dr. Matthew D. Parker, 5149 Jordan Hall, mdparker@ncsu.edu, office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00-2:15 PM.

Assistant: Matt Morin, 5148 Jordan Hall, mjmorin@ncsu.edu, office hours: Monday, 1:00-2:00 PM and Friday, 9:00-10:00 AM.

This class is scheduled to meet in Jordan Hall 5131
Mondays, 2:30-3:20 PM
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 2:30-4:20 PM

required texts:
Mesoscale Meteorology in Midlatitudes, 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).Warning: this file is over 200 MB!
            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 $30-35.

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

12/12: We will do some thinking and learning on the first day of class, so please show up prepared.
1/7: Announced that our class will now meet from 2:40-4:30 on Tues, Weds, and Thurs.
1/8: Announced that there will be no class on Monday 12 January. Instead, students are strongly encouraged to attend the departmental seminar at 3:30 in 1132 Jordan.
1/14: Distributed lab exercise 1 (available below). It is due at the start of class on Tuesday, 20 January.
1/22: Distributed list of briefing team members (linked below) and conducted briefing signups in class (see the schedule linked at the top). Also, handed out guidelines for weather briefings (linked below).
1/26: Distributed the rules for the class forecast game. You can find them linked here. The forecast game (and student briefings) begin tomorrow (1/27).
1/29: Distributed lab exercise 2 (available below). It is due at 5 PM on Monday, 2 February.
1/29: Also distributed the review sheet for midterm exam 1 (available below). The exam will be held during class on Thursday, 5 February.
2/12: Distributed pre-lab analysis exercise. It is to be completed by the start of class on Monday 16 February. We will then do lab exercise 3 in class on Monday.
2/16: Distributed lab exercise 3 (available below). It is due at 5 PM on Thursday, 19 February.
2/19: Distributed the review sheet for midterm exam 2 (available below). The exam will be held during class on Thursday, 26 February.
2/23: Distributed lab exercise 4 (available below). It is due at the end of class on Tuesday, 24 February.
3/9: Distributed the instructions and guidance for the semester case study project (handout available below).
3/10: Distributed pre-lab analysis exercise. It is to be completed by the start of class on Thursday 12 March. We will then do lab exercise 5 in class on Thursday.
3/12: Distributed lab exercise 5 (available below). It is due at 5 PM on Tuesday, 17 March.
3/19: Distributed lab exercise 6 (available below). It is due at the start of class on Tuesday, 24 March.
3/26: Distributed lab exercise 7 (available below). It is due at the start of class on Tuesday, 31 March.
3/26: Distributed the review sheet for midterm exam 3 (available below). The exam will be held during class on Thursday, 2 April.
4/6: Distributed pre-lab analysis exercise. It is to be completed by the start of class on Wednesday 8 April. We will then do lab exercise 8 in class on Wednesday.
4/8: Distributed lab exercise 8 (available below). It is due at the start of class on Tuesday, 14 April.
4/8: There will be no lecture on Thursday 4/9. It is strongly recommended that students meet during the normal class time to work on their group projects. There will still be a forecast discussion at 3:45 on 4/9.
4/14: Announced that the class will be attending a mesoscale seminar during class on Wednesday 4/15. We will meet for forecast discussion at 2:40 in the weather lab, and will head down to the seminar at 3:20.
4/22: Distributed the review sheet for the final exam. The final exam will be help on Thursday 4/30 from 1-4 PM. We willhold a 1 hour review session on Wednesday 4/29 from 4:30-5:30 PM.

Course handouts and other documents in PDF format

Tentative course syllabus: Revised 15 January
Course overview and policies
PPT slides for 1/7
PPT slides for 1/8
Handout: Lab exercise 1
PPT slides for 1/22
Handout: Guidelines and philosophy for weather briefings in MEA444
Handout: List of briefing team members
PPT slides from Parker's sample briefing on 1/22
PPT slides for 1/27
How to plot forecast soundings for any model in NSHARP
PPT slides for 1/28
Handout: A basic, ingredients-based approach to the convective forecasting process
Handout: Lab exercise 2
Handout: Review sheet for midterm exam 1
PPT slides for 2/2
Overview of SPC forecast products
TA's sample responses for lab exercise 1
PPT slides for 2/3
TA's sample responses for lab exercise 2
First midterm exam
Mid-stream briefing tips
PPT slides for 2/10
PPT slides for 2/11
PPT slides for 2/12
Handout: Prelab analysis exercise for lab 3
Handout: Lab exercise 3
PPT slides for 2/17
PPT slides for 2/19
Handout: Review sheet for midterm exam 2
Handout: Lab exercise 4
TA's sample responses and verification for lab exercise 3
Verification for lab exercise 4
Second midterm exam
Handout: Instructions and guidance for the semester case study project
List of cases that have been reserved for the semester project
Handout: Prelab analysis exercise for lab 5
PPT slides for 3/11
Handout: Lab exercise 5
PPT slides for 3/16
PPT slides for 3/17
PPT slides for 3/18
Handout: Lab exercise 6
PPT slides for 3/23
PPT slides for 3/25
Handout: Lab exercise 7
Handout: Review sheet for midterm exam 3
PPT slides for 3/31
TA's sample responses for lab exercise 5
Verification for lab exercise 6
Verification for lab exercise 7
Third midterm exam
Handout: Prelab exercise for lab 8
PPT slides for 4/07
Handout: Lab exercise 8
PPT slides for 4/16
PPT slides for 4/20
PPT slides for 4/21
TA's sample responses for lab exercise 8
Handout: Review sheet for final exam