Environment Canada (EC) – Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC)

Environment Canada (EC) – Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC)

Meteorologists’ Training

Monthly Newsletter

June 2002

Upcoming Training

11^th Conference on Cloud Physics	June 3-7	Ogden, Utah
URP Training	June 10, 12	Fredericton
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Summer Meeting	June 10-14	Victoria, B.C.
Descriptive Oceanography of Canadian Territorial Waters in a Sea-Ice Context	June 10-14 & 17-21	Ottawa
10^th Conference on Mountain Meteorology	June 17-21	Park City, Utah
NRP Radar Seminar	June 20-21 & 25-26	Kelowna
31^st Conference on Broadcast Meteorology	June 24-28	Williamsburg, Virginia
Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society of Agrometeorology	July 16-17	Saskatoon
21^st Conference on Severe Local Storms 19^th Conference on Weather Analysis & Forecasting 15^th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction	August 12-16	San Antonio, Texas
Mid-Atlantic States Winter Storms Regional Conference	October 4-5	Washington, DC
AQ2002 Canada’s 2^nd National Workshop on Air Quality Forecasting and Applications	October 21-23	Kelowna BC
7^th International Workshop on Wave Hindcasting and Forecasting	October 21-25	Banff
National Weather Association’s 2002 Annual Meeting	October 19-25	Fort Worth, Texas
15^th International Conference of Biometeorology and Aerobiology	October 28 - November 1	Kansas City, Missouri
12^th Conference on Middle Atmosphere	November 4-8	San Antonio, Texas
83^rd AMS Annual Meeting	February 9-13, 2003	Long Beach, CA

Inside This Issue

	National		Quebec Region
	Technical Workforce Renewal		Change of Season Workshops in Quebec Region

	Sixth Annual Great Divide Workshop, Great Falls, Montana, September 10-12, 2002		Atlantic Region

	Training Partnership for Northern Latitude Operational Meteorologists		Report of the International Workshop on Operational Marine Forecasting

	Northern Latitude Website Launch		Services, Clients and partners Directorate
	NRP Train the Trainer Workshop on URP 2.0		Training Services Unit (TSU) Winnipeg presentation at the CMOS Congress in Rimouski

	Pacific and Yukon Region
	Okanagan Valley Severe Storm Event of July 22, 2000

National

Technical Workforce Renewal

The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) currently employs approximately 185 technical staff (EG/EL) in its atmospheric monitoring program. The lengthy moratorium on staffing resulting from Program Review led to a MSC technical workforce with a large majority in the 45 to 55 year-old cohort. It is recognized that the MSC air-side monitoring technical workforce will be retiring and departing in large numbers over the next 10 years. MSC sees this both as a challenge and as an opportunity to renew and restructure its technical workforce. After a long review process, it was decided that future recruits for atmospheric monitoring staff positions will be required to have a 2000+ hour Certified Engineering Technologist (CET) diploma in electronics (or the Quebec equivalent) as a minimum entrance standard.

This is the first year in which the MSC has run a national competition for atmospheric monitoring technicians for which possession of a CET diploma in electronics is a criterion. A Recruitment Steering Committee, consisting of John Merrick, Dave Watson, Duncan Perry, Ken Wowryk and Marie MacPhee, with administrative assistance from Audrey Morrell, is overseeing the competition process. The competition closed in April and screening of the applications has been completed. The selection process is under way and it is expected that the successful candidates, chosen through written examinations and an interview process, will be chosen by late July.

Most of the new monitoring staff will be classified as EGs, as this will provide the incoming staff with the greatest promotional opportunity while providing management with greater scheduling flexibility. A direct result of this staffing process is the need for meteorology training for Certified Engineering Technologists (CET) to prepare them to work in air-side monitoring. The field of atmospheric monitoring is currently dominated by the existing EG workforce (met-techs) who have a significant meteorological background, through training and experience. Introductory training is required to provide the electronic technologists with linkages to the existing monitoring program and an orientation to the MSC.

The MSC has signed an agreement (after an RFP process) with ADGA, an Ottawa firm with 12 years experience in technology-based learning, for the provision of a distance learning training course. MSC has chosen distance learning as the method for providing the meteorology training to the technical recruits because it provides an ability to train students in a variety of locations spanning several time zones at a relatively low cost. Students will be required to complete the meteorology training mainly through self learning. However an instructor will be available to provide assistance and assessment. The instructor will be a senior technician, or meteorologist, located at the students’ workplace. ADGA will be providing us with a Learning Management system which will allow training staff to author and update material without the need for advanced computing skills.

The training course will contain the following ten modules:

Module 1- Organization and Processes

Module 2 - Introduction To Meteorology

Module 3 - The Atmosphere

Module 4 - Atmospheric Issues

Module 5 - Observational Networks and their Use

Module 6 - Surface and Marine Sensors and Systems

Module 7 - Radar Systems

Module 8 - Upper Air Systems

Module 9 - Canadian Lightning Detection Network

Module 10 - Telecommunications, Data Management and Archiving

An Occupational Training Plan (OTP) for the Atmospheric Monitoring Technicians is under development but is not yet complete. Information about the OTP will be provided in a future newsletter.

Contact: Marie MacPhee, National Recruitment and Training Coordinator (416) 739-5980

Marie.MacPhee@ec.gc.ca

Sixth Annual Great Divide Workshop, Great Falls, Montana, September 10-12, 2002

The National Weather Service Office in Great Falls, Montana, will be sponsoring the Sixth Annual Great Divide Workshop on September 10-12, 2002, in Great Falls, Montana. The workshop will begin at 1 p.m. on September 10 and conclude at 11 a.m. on September 12, 2002, allowing for travel the morning of the 10th and the afternoon of the 12th.

The Great Divide Workshop provides a forum for participants to share information and to discuss ideas involving new tools and techniques for providing weather forecasts for the Inter-Mountain West and Western High Plains, across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to formal presentations, they are reserving time for poster sessions. The workshop features a distinguished group of invited speakers as well as an evening banquet.

Additional information and registration forms for the workshop are available on the Internet at:

www.wrh.noaa.gov/Greatfalls/tfx.php?SPECIAL+gdregister.html

All participants are asked to provide a presentation topic by no later than July 1, 2002, and a short abstract by no later than August 1, 2002, for inclusion in a workshop preprint. Topics and abstracts can be e-mailed to gina.loss@noaa.gov or mailed to:

Weather Forecast Office

5324 Tri-Hill Frontage RD

Great Falls, MT 59404-4933

Attn: Gina Loss

For questions, please contact Gina Loss at 406-453-2081, or fax: 406-453-3812

Training Partnership for Northern Latitude Operational Meteorologists

On May 10 Garry Toth gave an enthusiastic presentation on the MSC/NWS/COMET Training Partnership to MSC Headquarters and to the MOIP (Meteorological Operational Internship Program) Trainer’s Working Group Workshop. As reported in previous editions of this newsletter, he and Peter Lewis are the two MSC meteorologists assigned to the COMET program under the partnership.

Garry divided his presentation into five parts: background, goals, accomplishments, ongoing work and future work.

The following is a summary of his report.

Þ Background: Garry explained that a MSC/NWS-Alaska/COMET partnership was formed in 2001. An excellent course on Winter Weather for Canadian and U.S. operational meteorologists was organized and presented in early 2001 and again in 2002 at the COMET facility in Boulder. The partnership is expected to last three years, with Peter Lewis and Garry Toth each being assigned to the Partnership for ¾ of his working time (other ¼ on shift at their respective MSC offices).

Þ Goals: The goals of this partnership include:

· creating a “community of practice” of Canadian meteorologists in the area of professional training

· engaging in knowledge transfers emphasizing a science-driven forecast process

· developing meteorological professional training and development in general, for both Canadian and U.S. forecasters

· examining and eventually making recommendations about professional meteorological training in the Canadian context

· improving all aspects of snow forecasting

Þ Accomplishments: Garry listed an impressive list of accomplishments:

· Canadians are now involved in COMET

· COMET training materials on CD are now free for MSC

· GEM regional model fields are now available to external users such as universities through Unidata

· One Canadian is attending the current COMAP course (COMET Mesoscale and Analysis prediction). Others are expected to follow in future courses (once per two years)

· The MSC/NWS/COMET Winter Weather Course

· CMC EPV (Equivalent Potential Vorticity) forecast chart

· NORLAT (Northern Latitude Meteorology) Website

Þ Ongoing work: Garry listed the following ongoing projects:

· NORLAT Website continued additions and development

· GEM regional to be added to the COMET NWP Matrix

· Development of a COMET/P+N Satellite Training Module

· 2002 WW course post mortem, planning for next WW Course (likely early December, 2002)

· Snow (forecasting) initiative

· Updates to CMC EPV chart

· Monitor NORLAT Forecast Forums

· Continue the NWP Misconceptions series (four are now available on the NORLAT site)

· 3-4 WW Course Webcasts for NORLAT

· 1-2 Snow Forecasting Training Modules

· Continue to promote a National Workstation for meteorological data display and manipulation for Canada

Þ Future Work: The following projects are ideas for future work:

· Possible MSC/NWS/COMET training module on dispersion

· Facilitate and encourage other MSC/COMET cooperative training

· How to bring the private sector in partnership

· Examine professional training in other countries for ideas that might be applicable to ongoing meteorological training in the Canadian context

Near the end of his presentation, Garry discussed a number of issues related to professional training in Canada, including the need for training time and dedicated training officers in each forecast office. He stressed that professional training must be approached in an organized fashion. The MSC/NWS/COMET Training Partnership is one element of the professional training equation, but not the only one. Training resources must be built into the system and made available to each forecaster in order for MSC to move ahead in the professional training area.

For more information, please contact Garry Toth at Garry.Toth@ec.gc.ca or Peter Lewis at Peter.Lewis@ec.gc.ca.

Northern Latitude Meteorology Website Launch

As part of the MSC/NWS/COMET partnership, the Northern Latitude Meteorology Website (NorLatMet) (http://meted.ucar.edu/norlat/) is now up and running, including a number of instructional modules.

The mission of the NorLatMet site is to provide one-stop access to education and training materials on topics of interest to meteorologists in Canada, Alaska, and the northern tier of the continental United States. The site is being developed cooperatively by COMET, the MSC and the Alaska Region of the NWS.

All MSC managers whose sections are involved in operational meteorology, along with any other interested meteorologists, are urged to publicize this training resource and encourage its use. Only through extensive use will the benefit from this investment be maximized.

The new components are:

1. Hurricanes Canadian Style: Extratropical Transition

(http://meted.ucar.edu/norlat/ett/index.htm) is a Webcast delivered by Jim Abraham of MSC. This presentation discusses the process by which hurricanes can transition into extratropical cyclones.

2. A Case Exercise on Hurricane Michael

(http://meted.ucar.edu/norlat/ett/michael/index.htm). This exercise follows the forecast process during a case of a hurricane that underwent extratropical transition.

3. The first three sections of another new module, "Ten Common NWP Misconceptions" (http://meted.ucar.edu/norlat/tencom/index.htm). New sections of this module will be added in the coming months. Examples will be drawn from both U.S. and Canadian model products.

4. A description of the CMC EPV forecast chart (http://meted.ucar.edu/norlat/slant/epv/index.htm), which can be used to assist in forecasting slantwise convection. In June, new instructional materials relating to forecasting slantwise convection will be added to the NorLatMet site.

5. Direct links from the site provide easy access to the large range of Web-based training modules produced by COMET and many other organizations.

6. Two discussion forums are available, one for forecast issues, and the other for training issues. Operational meteorologists are strongly encouraged to contribute to these forums.

Users are invited to submit their comments to Kent Johnson at (kent.johnson@ec.gc.ca) or directly to the development team at norlat@comet.ucar.edu. The core development team consists of Garry Toth (MSC), Peter Lewis (MSC), Bruce Muller (COMET), and Pat Parrish (COMET).

Contact: Kent Johnson at (250) 491-1532.

National Radar Project (NRP) Train the Trainer Workshop on URP 2.0

In the March 2002 edition of the Meteorologist’s Monthly Training Newsletter, it was reported that Mike Leduc would be conducting “Train the Trainer” sessions across Canada to acquaint users with the Unified Radar Processor 2.0 software.

On May 13 and 15, Mike gave a workshop at PSPC (Prairie Storms Prediction Centre) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, among other offices.

Topics covered were:

1. Radar and the forecasting process;

2. Conceptual models of storms: what are the important parameters?

3. URP 2.0 Detects the parameters: algorithms;

4. URP 2.0 organized the parameters: Ranking and classification;

5. Radar Processing flow diagram;

6. The “knobology” of the interactive viewer: A look at the Brunkild study, July 2000;

7. Severe Storm Forecasting, using URP 2.0: The Estlin study, July 14, 2000.

8. Issues, including:

· NRP real time support to operations;

· Hardware/software installation; and

· Wrap up.

Mike will also be giving the URP training in Toronto on June 4/6 and in Ottawa on June 7.

For more information, please contact Mike Leduc at (416) 739-4825.

Pacific and Yukon Region

Okanagan Valley Severe Storm Event of July 22, 2000

Allan Coldwells and Terri Lang of the Mountain Weather Centre in Kelowna presented an excellent paper at the National Weather Association’s Annual General Meeting held from October 13 to 19, 2001, in Spokane Washington. The subject of their paper was a severe storm event that occurred in the Okanagan Valley on July 22, 2000.

The following is a summary of their paper.

In the late afternoon of July 22, 2000, severe thunderstorms developed near the international border and intensified as they progressed north-northeastward through the Oliver area of southern British Columbia. This storm produced hail up to 20 mm in diameter and wind gusts estimated at 130 km/hour which blew the roof off a winery, and resulted in several blowdown areas of apple tree crops and sheared off trees.

Topography causing funnelling may have played a role in the event, as to the west of the damage area is a plateau area separated by two smaller creek valleys, and a higher level mountain valley above the plateau. In a survey made of the storm, witnesses reported seeing rotation in the storm and a “greenish” tinge to the cloud.

Terri and Allan analyzed the storm in detail. Their analysis shows a storm with a “negative tilt” to the synoptic pattern, referring to the incoming upper trough with an axis tilted toward the west with increasing altitude. Evenson and Johns (1995) recognized the importance of this “negative tilt” pattern in creating severe weather in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. This negatively tilted trough induces a south to southwesterly flow at mid levels, enabling moisture to be captured and transported northward from the subtropical areas of the North Pacific Ocean west of Central Mexico. Interoffice cooperation between the Mtn WC in Kelowna, the NWS office in Spokane, and a radar feed from the Spokane Radar helped lead to a successful outcome from a forecasting point of view.

More information is available at the following Website: http://wocom2.weatheroffice.pyr.ec.gc.ca/Met-papers/nwapaper.htm

or by contacting Terri Lang or Allan Coldwells at (250) 491-1510.

Quebec Region

Change of Season Workshops in Quebec Region

The Quebec Region held its Change of Season Workshops on May 1 in Montreal, May 7 in Quebec City, and May 9 in Rimouski.

A partial list of topics and presenters is provided below:

For more information, please contact Réné Héroux at (514) 496-8674.

Atlantic Region

Report of the International Workshop on Operational Marine Forecasting

Environment Canada hosted an international workshop on operational marine weather forecasting at the Halifax-Harbourview Holiday Inn in Dartmouth, N.S., November 18-22, 2001. The workshop, funded by Environment Canada’s Learning Fund, was attended by nearly 90 participants from seven countries, representing a couple dozen different agencies or organizations.

The workshop was successful in bringing together a good blend of operational and research meteorologists, program managers, and product users. It began on Sunday evening with a poster session, and the poster area provided a focal point for gathering during refreshment breaks and lunches throughout the week. Each morning of the workshop opened with the presentation of one or more national marine forecast programs from the different countries that participated, followed by 20-minute oral presentations for the duration of the morning. Afternoons were dedicated to laboratory sessions where participants could “dirty their hands” in practical application.

The evenings were also busy. Two different panel discussions (forecast users and verification) provided for considerable debate, and a banquet, complete with entertainment from a local comedian, served up a well-deserved mid-week diversion.

A CD of the workshop has been prepared in lieu of a preprint booklet. It contains all of the presentations in the format in which they were presented, namely PowerPoint. The quality of presentations at the workshop testified to the significant effort on the part of all contributors. Many presenters employed animations or illustrative sequences of slides as tools in their presentations. Such tools, included on the CD, provide a significant alternative to the limited and static nature of preprints. Also included on the CD are reports from the two evening discussions, prepared by Denis Poupart and Ted McIldoon. These are being released for the first time with this CD and both reports contain valuable information for forecasters and managers of marine weather programs.

It is our hope that the compilation of these excellent presentations will not only serve as a record of the workshop proceedings, but will also prove to be a valuable training tool to aid operational marine forecasters around the world.

For a copy of the CD, please contact the program committee member nearest you (below).

Contact: Peter J. Bowyer, Program Committee Chair, e-mail:

Peter Bowyer, Chair

Jaymie Gadal jaymie.gadal@ec.gc.ca

Marie-France Gauthier marie-france.gauthier@ec.gc.ca

Jim Hamilton jim.hamilton@ec.gc.ca

Ed Hudson ed.hudson@ec.gc.ca

Louis Lefaivre louis.lefaivre@ec.gc.ca

Ted McIldoon ted.mcildoon@ec.gc.ca

Gerard Neault gerard.neault@ec.gc.ca

Gilles Ratté gilles.ratte@ec.gc.ca

Services, Clients and Partners Directorate

Training Services Unit (TSU) Winnipeg presentation at the CMOS Congress in Rimouski

Louis Richard of the Training Services Unit (TSU) Winnipeg office gave a presentation entitled “An Overview: Environment Canada's Weather Forecasting Instruction for Canadian Military Meteorological Technicians” at the CMOS Congress in Rimouski.

The presentation, which was co-authored by Jasmin Paola, provided an overview of the TSU Winnipeg and its connection to the Meteorological Service of Canada through the Aviation and Defence (ADS) Branch of the Services, Clients and Partners Directorate (SCPD). It also presented information about the Canadian Forces Weather and Oceanographic Service (CFWOS) and the Canadian Forces School of Meteorology (CFSMET), particularly their facilities and equipment.

The main part of the presentation covered the weather forecasting instruction given to DND meteorological technicians, and provided information on the CFWOS training structure, the technicians’ background education before attending weather forecasting courses and details of the forecasting courses including: 2- and 3-dimensional analysis of the atmosphere, diagnosis of current and future weather, including the formation and dissipation of weather elements, forecast guidance, weather element timing and values and methods for evaluating students.

The presentation was well received by the audience. The goal of the presentation was two-fold: to continue to promote DND meteorological technicians as mission support weather specialists/short range weather forecasters, and to highlight career opportunities to fellow meteorologists at the Training Services Unit (TSU) Winnipeg Office.

Contact: Jasmin Paola, (204) 833-2500 Ext. 5838

Readers are encouraged to submit articles related to learning, training and recruitment. Submissions or any questions related to items without a contact can be directed to Spencer.Silver@ec.gc.ca

Editorials: If you would like to express an opinion or submit a commentary, please send your comments to Spencer.Silver@ec.gc.ca