Foundational Concepts

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  • Instrumentation and Measurement of Atmospheric Temperature
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2017-10-03
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 2.00 - 3.00 h
    Topics:
    Other
    (157 ratings)

  • This lesson offers a comprehensive overview of temperature measurement as related to the atmosphere, bodies of water, soils, and other parts of Earth’s surface. The lesson begins by defining temperature and why it is an important property to characterize. It provides ... Read more »

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  • S-290 Unit 6: Atmospheric Stability
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2010-03-02
    Skill Level: 0
    Completion Time: 3.00 - 4.00 h
    Topics:
    Fire Weather
    (6983 ratings)

  • S-290 Unit 6: Atmospheric Stability introduces the processes related to stable and unstable atmospheric conditions and explains their impact on fire behavior. This Unit provides detailed information about how fire behavior is affected by stable and unstable atmospheric ... Read more »

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  • Nighttime Radiation and Cooling of the Lower Atmosphere
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2013-06-27
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: .50 - .75 h
    Topics:
    Other
    (10 ratings)

  • It is our common experience to observe that the lowest levels of the atmosphere cool down more slowly on humid nights than on dry nights. When the sky is cloudy we observe the atmosphere to cool even more slowly. Can longwave radiation fluxes alone explain these ... Read more »

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  • Gravity for Geodesy I: Foundations
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2017-03-22
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: .50 - .75 h
    Topics:
    Geospatial
    (373 ratings)

  • The first of a two-part series, this 40-50 minute non-narrated interactive lesson is intended to help professionals with basic science background better understand the Earth’s gravity field and what causes its variations. Of particular interest to earth/physical ... Read more »

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  • Introduction to Tropical Meteorology, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: The Distribution of Moisture and Precipitation
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2010-12-22
    Last Updated On: 2016-03-04
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: 1.50 - 2.00 h
    Topics:
    Climate, Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology, Satellite Meteorology, Tropical/Hurricanes
    (194 ratings)

  • Moisture and precipitation distribution governs life in the tropics. Surplus heating and rising motion in the tropics ignites the global water and energy cycles and influences weather in the midlatitudes. This chapter presents the horizontal and vertical distribution of ... Read more »

First & Second Laws of Thermodynamics

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  • Topics in Lake Effect Snow Forecasting
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2005-02-09
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: .75 - 1.00 h
    Topics:
    Winter Weather
    (161 ratings)

  • Lake and ocean effect processes can have a significant impact on snowfall amounts in many parts of North America, and can be very tricky to forecast. This short module is a collection of narrated reference material on many aspects of lake effect snow forecasting. It is ... Read more »

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  • Barrier Jet Forecasting: Eastern Foothills and High Plains of Colorado, 17-20 March 2003
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2006-07-27
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 2.00 - 3.00 h
    Topics:
    Mountain Meteorology, QPF/QPE (Precip), Winter Weather
    (62 ratings)

  • This case exercise looks at a barrier jet event over central and eastern Colorado that took on historic significance in terms of snow amounts and variability in snow distribution. The module emphasizes the mechanisms for producing both very large accumulations and extreme ... Read more »

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  • Snowmelt Processes: International Edition
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2011-01-04
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: 1.00 - 1.25 h
    Topics:
    Environment and Society, Hydrology/Flooding
    (170 ratings)

  • Snowmelt is an integral component of the hydrologic forecasting process in many parts of the world. Here, we examine the influences of environmental conditions on snowfall distribution, snowpack structure, snowpack-environment energy exchange, and finally, the rate and ... Read more »

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  • Primary Influences on Water Temperature for Inland Streams
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2014-07-08
    Last Updated On: 2014-06-18
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: .50 - .75 h
    Topics:
    Climate, Environment and Society
    (157 ratings)

  • This lesson explores the primary influences, or drivers, on water temperature of inland streams and rivers. We use a simulated flight, or flyover, where we look down at the features of the South Boise River in Idaho. An unregulated as well as a regulated reach of the river ... Read more »

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  • Satellite Feature Identification: Conveyor Belts
    Optional

    Languages: English, French, Spanish, German
    Publish Date: 2014-03-18
    Last Updated On: 2017-02-13
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: .50 - .75 h
    Topics:
    Satellite Meteorology
    (172 ratings)

  • Conveyor belts highlight important atmospheric processes that can be advantageous for making forecasts. They can be used for identifying general temperature patterns, defining the extent of cloud cover, predicting moisture return, evaluating stability, forecasting wind ... Read more »

Hydrostatic Concepts

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  • Instrumentation and Measurement of Atmospheric Pressure
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2018-06-26
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 1.50 - 2.00 h
    Topics:
    Other
    (120 ratings)

  • This lesson provides information about current science and technologies for measuring pressure in the atmosphere. The lesson begins by reviewing the key physical laws governing atmospheric pressure, including Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures. Then, it explores typical ... Read more »

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  • Topics in Dynamic Meteorology: Thermal Wind
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish, French
    Publish Date: 2012-03-20
    Last Updated On: 2016-06-17
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: 1.25 - 1.50 h
    Topics:
    Other
    (309 ratings)

  • This lesson explores the dynamic links between temperature, pressure, and wind in the atmosphere. The qualitative description of the relationships is augmented with "Math Sidebars" that provide a quantitative treatment. Numerous applications to climatology and forecasting ... Read more »

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  • Frontogenetical Circulations and Stability
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2007-10-24
    Skill Level: 3
    Completion Time: .50 - .75 h
    Topics:
    Mesoscale Meteorology
    (40 ratings)

  • “Frontogenetical Circulations and Stability” is a Webcast by Dr. James T. Moore that focuses on an overview of different stability types, including convective, potential, inertial, conditional and symmetric, the concept of frontogenesis and associated circulations. The ... Read more »

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  • NWP Essentials: Structure and Dynamics
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2015-04-08
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 1.50 - 2.00 h
    Topics:
    Numerical Modeling (NWP)
    (98 ratings)

  • This lesson is focused on how a model forecast and the interpretation of that forecast, is affected by the basic design of the model. Topics include how meteorological variables are represented in grid point and spectral models, fundamental differences between hydrostatic ... Read more »

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  • Fog: Its Processes and Impacts to Aviation and Aviation Forecasting
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2010-10-12
    Last Updated On: 2012-04-17
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: 2.00 - 3.00 h
    Topics:
    Aviation Weather, Fog and Low Stratus
    (315 ratings)

  • This module first introduces forecasters to aviation-forecast customers and their needs, and discusses how fog impacts aviation operations. The main content of the module then explains the physical processes and life cycle of radiation and advection fog, including their ... Read more »

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  • Impact of Model Structure and Dynamics - version 2
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish, French
    Publish Date: 2009-11-24
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 2.00 - 3.00 h
    Topics:
    Numerical Modeling (NWP)
    (118 ratings)

  • Impact of Model Structure & Dynamics, part of the "NWP Training Series: Effective Use of NWP in the Forecast Process", explains how a model forecast, and thus interpretation of that forecast, is affected by the basic design of the model. Topics include how meteorological ... Read more »

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  • Mesoscale Banded Precipitation
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2005-06-24
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 2.00 - 3.00 h
    Topics:
    Mesoscale Meteorology, Winter Weather
    (101 ratings)

  • 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 ... Read more »

Thermodynamics and Moisture in the Atmosphere

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  • Forecasting Aviation Icing: Icing Type and Severity
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish, French
    Publish Date: 1998-03-13
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 4.00 - 5.00 h
    Topics:
    Aviation Weather, Winter Weather
    (224 ratings)

  • This module discusses the current theories of atmospheric conditions associated with aircraft icing and applies the theories to the icing diagnosis and forecast process. The contribution of liquid water content, temperature, and droplet size parameters to icing are ... Read more »

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  • Dynamics & Microphysics of Cool-Season Orographic Storms
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2004-08-09
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: .75 - 1.00 h
    Topics:
    Mesoscale Meteorology, Mountain Meteorology, QPF/QPE (Precip), Winter Weather
    (132 ratings)

  • In this Webcast, Dr. James Steenburgh, working for the Department of Meteorology and the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Regional Prediction at the University of Utah, takes a look at cool-season orographic storms in western North America. He provides a brief microphysics ... Read more »

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  • Topics in Precipitation Type Forecasting
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2005-09-27
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: .25 - .50 h
    Topics:
    Winter Weather
    (231 ratings)

  • This module presents an overview of various aspects of precipitation type forecasting. It includes sections on microphysics and the ice crystal process, application of partial thickness analysis, application of the top-down method, and an overview of model algorithms ... Read more »

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  • Freezing and Melting, Precipitation Type, and Numerical Weather Prediction
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2002-07-03
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: .50 - .75 h
    Topics:
    Numerical Modeling (NWP), Winter Weather
    (75 ratings)

  • This Webcast is based on a COMET classroom presentation by Dr. Gary Lackmann at the 2nd MSC Winter Weather Course held in Boulder, Colorado on 22 February 2002. Dr. Lackmann reviews the basic thermodynamics of freezing and melting and how operational models represent these ... Read more »

Thermodynamic Diagrams

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  • Skew-T Mastery
    Optional

    Languages: English, Spanish
    Publish Date: 2006-10-04
    Last Updated On: 2014-04-11
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 7.00 - 8.00 h
    Topics:
    Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology, Other
    (1170 ratings)

  • 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 ... Read more »

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  • NWS JetStream: Online School for Weather
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 2016-12-21
    Skill Level: 0
    Completion Time: 3.00 - 4.00 h
    Topics:
    Emergency Management, Environment and Society, Mesoscale Meteorology
    (3 ratings)

  • JetStream - An Online School for Weather is a free teaching resource covering a wide variety of weather topics and weather safety. It provides educators, emergency managers, or anyone interested in learning about weather with comprehensive, well-organized, colorfully ... Read more »

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  • Principles of Convection I: Buoyancy and CAPE
    Optional

    Languages: English, Russian, Spanish, French, Greek
    Publish Date: 2002-07-24
    Last Updated On: 2016-03-09
    Skill Level: 1
    Completion Time: 1.00 - 1.25 h
    Topics:
    Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology
    (1655 ratings)

  • This module provides a brief overview of Buoyancy and CAPE. Topics covered include the origin of atmospheric buoyancy, estimating buoyancy using the CAPE and Lifted Index, factors that affect buoyancy including entrainment of mid-level air, water loading, convective ... Read more »

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  • Mesoscale Convective Systems: Squall Lines and Bow Echoes
    Optional

    Languages: English
    Publish Date: 1999-05-28
    Skill Level: 2
    Completion Time: 5.00 - 6.00 h
    Topics:
    Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology
    (180 ratings)

  • This module presents current conceptual models of several MCS types and provides explanations for the structures and behavior of MCSs based on the physical processes underlying their evolution. An understanding of the physical processes and conceptual models of MCSs will ... Read more »