Aviation Weather

It’s no secret pilots and air traffic controllers at times must contend with challenging weather conditions. For the weather forecasters that support them, COMET has produced a suite of training resources. These resources explain the characteristics of the weather patterns that give pilots and controllers the most difficulty and teach the best procedures and tools to predict them.

Special Interest

More on Aviation

Weather and Air Traffic

Inside each of the Federal Aviation Administration’s 21 Air Route Traffic Control Centers is a Central Weather Service Unit responsible for forecasting for the nation’s commercial and military aircraft. COMET created The Impact of Weather on Air Traffic Management to help forecasters in these offices understand the inner workings of the FAA and national airspace system. Staffers who take the module can also help make a Weather Impacts Playbook describing the station’s FAA customers and what weather information they need to make local air traffic control decisions. Plan to visit the Facilitator Web Page prior to assigning this module to your staff.

Distance Learning Aviation Courses

Many of the modules listed to the left are part of our two distance courses: DLAC 1 (Forecasting Fog/Low Stratus for Aviation Operation) and DLAC 2 (Producing Customer-Focused TAFs). If taken as part of the course, which includes quizzes, you can earn certificates of completion for each course module. Fore more information, visit the DLAC website.

COMET Outreach Project

Plymouth State University and the NWS Center Weather Service Unit in Nashua, NH have submitted the final report on their Outreach Project, "Improved sea breeze forecasting for Boston's General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport." The researchers collaborated on developing a database of sea breeze and non-sea breeze events, stratified by synoptic classes defined by Miller and Keim and evaluated WRF model guidance for sea breeze forecasting.

Climate

Earth’s climate engine is a complex machine. COMET has developed a suite of lessons to help you understand some of its bigger cogs. Learn about the El Nino/Southern Oscillation, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, climatology, Arctic ecosystems, and climate change.

Special Interest

More on Climate

• What’s going on with El Nino? The latest El Nino/Southern Oscillation updates can be found at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory, here.
• Find out about federal government research on climate change and its implications for America at the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s home, here.
• Check out some great podcasts on Earth’s climate future made by COMET’s parent organization UCAR here.
• Learn more about the National Weather Services’ Professional Development Series on climate here.
• Find out about the Climate Services offered by NOAA here.
• For the latest research on climate, take a look at the NCAR Earth System Laboratory’s Climate and Global Dynamics Division here.

COMET Outreach Project

Forecasting severe convective weather during the monsoon in the Southwest U.S. is often difficult, partly due to weak dynamic forcing mechanisms as well as limited knowledge about factors favoring the growth of convective elements into organized significant weather. Click here to learn more about a study on this topic conducted by SUNY Albany, the NWS Forecast Office in Tucson, AZ, and the NWS Storm Prediction Center.

Coastal Weather

The atmosphere over water often behaves differently than it does over land. And forecasting ocean behavior – like wave heights and rip currents – requires skill of its own. In this topic area, learn about unique coastal winds and fog, hurricanes and coastal weather systems, wave and rip current dynamics, and how to transition from forecasting for landlocked areas to forecasting for coastal regions.

Special Interest

More on Coastal Weather

Rip Currents

Swimmers and surfers may fear sharks, but the true nearshore menace is the rip current. This phenomenon was responsible for more deaths in Florida from 1989-2008 – some 364 people -- than all other weather hazards combined. The narrow, swift currents of water traveling out to sea can move faster than an Olympic swimmer and happen in all seasons and weather conditions.

As a result, it goes without saying predicting rip currents can be life-saving. But to do so, meteorologists need to understand the oceanography of coastal waters. Rip Currents: Nearshore Fundamentals can help forecasters understand the coastal circulation and wave dynamics needed to do so with the help of graphics named Honorable Mention in the 2005 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Science.

COMET Outreach Projects

A study conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and School of Marine Science, the NWS Forecast Office in Wakefield, VA, and the NWS Meteorological Development Laboratory developed and tested a real-time storm tide observation and forecast system. Take a look.

The Hydrologic Research Center and the Melbourne NWS forecast office collaborated on a project to implement a prototype Wavewatch III wave model for the Melbourne forecast area, conduct simulations to test its usefulness, and to evaluate what would be needed to fully develop an operational wave forecast system . Their findings are reported in "Towards development of a rapid response local wave model for the Melbourne, Florida, National Weather Service Forecast office."

Convective Weather

In this section, learn about forecasting and evaluating thunderstorms, tropical waves, planning for and anticipating hazardous weather, using hodographs, squall lines and bow echoes, principles of convection, and the all-important mastery of atmospheric sounding via through Skew-T Mastery. This section also includes ready-made lecture materials on mesoscale convective systems, supercells, and a convective weather refresher.

Special Interest

More on Convection

Supercell Motion Severe Weather Observations

Check out fascinating supercell thunderstorm and tornado observations in NCAR Director Dr. Roger Wakimoto’s streaming lecture Applications to Convective Storm and Frontal Systems.

Predicting Severe Weather

Want to know more about the mechanics of summer thunderstorms and their forecasting? Take the comprehensive Summer Severe Weather Distance Learning Course – a self-paced 15 – 20 hour course in principles of convection, severe convection, squall lines, bow echoes, and forecasting using hodographs. The course features a registration and assessment system that will automatically track your progress and award you a certificate on completion.

COMET Outreach Projects

Purdue University and the NWS Forecast Office in Syracuse, IN have teamed on a project to expand on a real-time system that predicts specific characteristics of high-impact convective precipitation systems. The goal was to eventually provide guidance regarding high-impact weather events that can be quickly obtained in a manner consistent with the conceptual approach that many forecasters use in their day-to-day forecast process. For more details, check out the final report.

Kean University and the Philadelphia/Mount Holly NWS forecast office have collaborated on a project to better understand summer season convection in New Jersey by defining convective modes and morphology based on prevailing flow and physiographic features. Details are available in their report, "Distribution and initiation of summer season convection, operational verification, examination, and research in New Jersey."

Emergency Management

Designed for emergency management and response professionals, those who work with them, and anyone who wants to be well-prepared for emergencies, these resources address a range of earth- and atmospheric-related hazards. Educate yourself in preparing for a range of hazards, including tsunamis, hurricanes, thunderstorms, dam failure, floods, fire, and hazardous material releases.

Special Interest

More on Emergency Management

Dealing with Atmospheric Chemical Releases

COMET has three modules that can help you learn more about responding to aerial chemical releases:

• Dispersion Basics
• HYSPLIT Applications for Emergency Decision Support, 2nd Edition

Update to Hurricane Strike!

Hurricane Strike!, our award-winning module for kids on hurricane science and safety, has recently been updated and is available in 3 versions:

• Standard Multimedia Version
• Audio Captioned/Keyboard Navigation Multimedia Version for hearing and mobility impaired students
• Text Version for visually impaired students or students with low bandwidth (contains no audio and requires no plug-ins). This version is also available in Spanish.

Links of Interest
National Weather Service

• NWS Website
• Current Warnings
• NOAA NOAAWatch
• Local Forecasts
• Today’s Severe Weather Forecast
• Tomorrow’s Severe Weather Forecast
• Fire Weather Forecast
• Excessive Heat Forecast
• Hurricane Forecast
• Radar Data
• Satellite Data
• StormReady Communities
• TsunamiReady Communities
• Aware Publication

FEMA

• FEMA Website
• FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute
• EMI Independent Study Courses

Preparedness Information

• NWS Safety Brochures
• Red Cross Safety Tips
• FEMA Preparedness Info
• FEMA for Kids
• NWS Pages for Kids
• Helping Child Victims

COMET Outreach Project

Researchers from Colorado State University, in collaboration with the Davenport NWS office, recently conducted a study on "Social verification of warnings: How can we improve the response to warnings?" The study used focus groups to get feedback from emergency managers and others who depend on NWS watches and warnings to handle tornado events. After the study the NWS office implemented changes in their watches and warnings, such as mentioning the potential impacts that might result from the weather event.

Environment and Society

From space weather to hurricanes to health, these resources explore the connections between people and their environment. Produced for broadcasters, meteorologists, emergency managers, and students, they touch on weather and climate’s reach into human lives. These resources should interest anyone who wants to learn more about how weather, climate and the environment can affect them – and what they should do to be more resilient to natural disasters.

Special Interest

More on Environment and Society

Hurricane Strike! Update Available

Hurricane Strike!, our award-winning module for kids on hurricane science and safety, has recently been updated.

Heard of WAS*IS?

Learn more about Weather and Society*Integrated Studies on their website.

National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) educates trusted professionals to amplify messages to national audiences to solve everyday environmental problem

COMET Outreach Project

The University of Miami and NWS Forecast Office in Glasgow, MT recently completed a joint research project to improve the operational issuance of guidance and warning/advisory products for human heat stress. The new technique is based on a more advanced understanding of how human physiology relates to air masses and weather than is obtained from simply using the heat index. Click here to learn more.

Fire Weather

These resources address two fire weather training needs: helping meteorologists better forecast fire weather conditions and helping firefighters better understand fire weather and behavior in order to minimize property damage and maintain safe operations.

Special Interest

More on Fire Weather

Firefighter Math

Firefighter Math teaches calculations commonly made by firefighters in the field. Topics include tank volumes and flow rates, pump pressure and friction loss, maps and location coordinates, and slope, flame length, flame height, and mid-flame wind speed. The "Back to the Basics" section covers basic arithmetic operations, and sample problems are included throughout. The tutorial was originally developed by the USDA Forest Service Technology and Development Program and the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory.

Wildfires and Fire Weather Basics

Check out NCAR/UCAR’s Wildfires and Fire Weather backgrounder for some fire basics.

Wildland Fire News

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) also operates a website that offers current wildland fire information and prevention education.

COMET Outreach Project

Dry lightning storms often initiate forest fires in areas such as Nevada. A recent collaboration between the University of Nevada and the Reno NWS Forecast Office developed a new forecast procedure that has resulted in capturing thunderstorm events that may have gone unnoticed in the past. For more information, check out their report.

This Partners Project teamed researchers at the University of North Carolina Charlotte with forecasters from the NWS forecast offices in Greer and Columbia, South Carolina and the Savannah River National Laboratory to improve forecasts of fire weather for the Carolinas. The main objective was to provide forecasters with high resolution WRF model simulations of important fire weather parameters such as mixing height, ventilation wind, and Haines Index. The methodology and results are documented in their final report, "Use and verification of high resolution weather research and forecast (WRF) model output as NWP guidance for fire weather prediction."

Fog and Low Stratus

In this topic area, learn about the many ways formation of fog and low clouds can impact aviation operations and about the many tools that can help forecasters assess and forecast fog more effectively.

Special Interest

More on Fog and Low Stratus

Distance Learning Aviation Course on Forecasting Fog and Stratus

Many of the modules listed to the right are part of our Distance Learning Aviation Course series, DLAC 1, Forecasting Fog and Low Stratus for Aviation Operations, for which you can earn certificates of completion.

Geospatial

In this category you’ll find lessons on the collection and application of geospatial information. Topics touch on geodesy and mapping, hydrographic and terrestrial surveys, and navigation.

Special Interest

More on Geospatial Information

The Cartographer’s Craft, provides Notes and Study Materials from a course at the University of Colorado.

The National Geodetic Survey website provides Science and Education links.

NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey maintains a resourceful Education page, as does the National Ocean Service.

The USGS National Geospatial Program website provides links to the National Map, as well as other geospatial information resources.

Hydrology/Flooding

In the resources in this topic area you’ll get a better understanding of all aspects of the water cycle: evaporation, precipitation, flash floods, river ice, snowmelt, runoff, and even the science of rain gauges – their data isn’t always what it seems.

Special Interest

More on Hydrology/Flooding

Hydrology for Non-Majors

This course is designed to address the needs of non-hydrologists who work with hydrologic data, particularly in flood forecasting. Take this course to understand better the interaction of the waters of the land and sky.

For more information go to the Basic Hydrologic Sciences Distance Learning Course Portal.

Hydro Training from Other Sources

SUNY-Syracuse and Humboldt State University have created two hydrology training modules with COMET Outreach Program funds. Check them out!

• Fluvial Geomorphology
• Stage Discharge Relationships

COMET Outreach Project

The University of Arizona and the National Weather Service office in Tucson have partnered on a project to develop a more robust, site-specific flash flood forecasting system that couples a subsurface flow model (SM-hsB) with the KIENEROS overland flow model. The results of the study are available here.

Mesoscale Meteorology

Mesoscale meteorology – the study of medium-scale weather features from 2 to 2000 km in size – can help fine-tune forecasts to make them more accurate and detailed. From severe thunderstorms to mountain winds to hurricanes, mastery of the mesoscale is essential to good forecasters. Resources in this topic area include information on forecasting in complex terrain, dust storms, dynamically forced fog, banded precipitation, and a mesoscale meteorology primer. You’ll also find training in data downscaling and how mesoscale models work.

Special Interest

More on Mesoscale Meteorology

Mesoscale Primer

For an introduction to the world of mesoscale meteorology and to our mesoscale modules, we suggest that you begin with the two overview modules:

• Definition of the Mesoscale
• How Mesoscale Models Work

from our Mesoscale Primer Course.

The Mesoscale and Winter Weather

Develop your mesoscale prowess with a series of winter weather case exercises in the Mesoscale Aspects of Winter Weather Forecasting module.

COMET Outreach Projects

A recent project teamed the University of Oklahoma with the Norman, Ok NWS Forecast Office to evaluate downscaled high-resolution WRF simulations for use in operational forecasting. The results of the study are available here.

State University of New York – Oswego and the NWS forecast office in Buffalo participated in a study that used the WRF model to simulate lake-effect snow bands and to investigate the relationship between environmental conditions and the distribution of snowfall. Ten meteorology majors were involved in analyzing the case studies. Their accomplishments are described in "Improving the understanding and prediction of lake-effect snowstorms in the eastern Great Lakes region."

Mountain Meteorology

Learn about the many ways the atmosphere interacts with complex terrain to produce weather events such as orographic storms and winds, cold air damming, and gap winds. You also find resources about the characteristics of mountain snow packs and avalanches.

Special Interest

More on Mountain Meterology

COMET Outreach Project

A recent project involving the University of Alaska and the Anchorage NWS Forecast Office looked at significant snowfall events associated with low pressure centers in Prince William Sound. See their final report to learn what they found.

Numerical Modeling (NWP)

Numerical models are complex tools. Here you’ll find resources that explain how these models work and how to use them in various forecast processes. In addition, you can explore a host of case studies to test your forecasting skills on real-life numerical weather modeling examples.

Special Interest

More on Numerical Modeling

Operational Models Encyclopedia

The Operational Models Encyclopedia describes the characteristics and architecture of many commonly used operational NWP models in the US, Canada, and Europe.

WRF Model Training

COMET offers a variety of training to help forecasters better understand the NAM WRF model and its use.

• For training on using the WRF in the forecast process, visit Using the WRF Mesoscale Model. This module explores two southwest Asia case studies involving AFWA implementation of WRF to see how WRF can improve forecasting for fronts, topographic impacts, precipitation type, and hazards to aviation.
• The NCEP NAM WRF Model Webcast explains the nuts and bolts of the WRF numerics, physics, and postprocessed data. The Webcasts emphasize both what is different and what remains the same between the NAM WRF and its predecessor, the NAM Eta. For a quick dose of the basics, see the 40-minute Short Version. The 65-minute Full Version examines the differences in detail.
• If you have questions about NAM WRF or any other model or wish to share your experiences with others, explore the NWP Discussion Forum.

Ensemble Models

Ensemble models – which collect information from multiple models or model runs into one product to improve forecasters’ accuracy – have been assembled by COMET into a one-stop Ensemble Model Matrix. Check it out to get a feel for the variety of ensemble models and how they operate. For more information on ensembles, seeEnsemble Forecasting Explained and/or the Introduction to Ensemble Prediction Webcast.

Marine Models

Explore the Marine Wave Models Matrix to see how different models forecast the generation, propagation, and dissipation of ocean waves.

COMET Outreach Project

The University of Washington, Texas Tech University, and the Seattle NWS Forecast Office participated in a joint research project to compare two high-resolution surface analysis methods currently in place to a new ensemble-based technique. The results of the project are available here.

The goal of another COMET Outreach project was to identify and understand displacement biases in numerical forecasts of elevated convective systems located between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. To learn more, see the final report for this collaboration between Texas A&M and the NWS Hydrometeorological Prediction Center.

Florida State University and the Tallahassee WFO worked on a project to produce scientifically useful measures of uncertainty/confidence for forecast fields, including temperature, wind, and vorticity. The purpose was to allow forecasters to focus on those forecast periods when the model guidance was in less agreement. The experimental forecast confidence measures for the GFS ensemble are available from the project website, and the final report contains more details.

Oceanography/Marine/Tsunami

Learn about the intersection of ocean and atmosphere. In this category you’ll find modules on marine ecosystems, fog, swell, waves, and winds, acoustics, currents, circulation, models, tsunamis, and tides.

Special Interest

More on Oceanography/Marine Meteorology

Check out the interactive forecasting tools taken from our wind and wave forecasting modules. These interactive pieces can be used directly on our webpage or you can download copies that can be run locally on a Microsoft Windows XP computer.

An extensive collection of tools and services related to ocean and coastal waters, is available at the National Ocean Services website.

The OceanTeacher website is a resource for ocean data managers, marine information managers and marine researchers interested in data and information management.

Other

Looking for something that doesn't fit into another topic area on MetEd? Try here.

Special Interest

More on Other Topics

Dispersion and Chemical Releases

In just half an hour you can learn more about dispersion and how it can help predict the path of an accidentally-released hazardous airborne chemical. To do so, visit the Dispersion Basics Webcast by COMET head Dr. Timothy Spangler.

Atlas of Diurnal Climatology

For  a beautifully-laid out online atlas of 30-year diurnal climate averages in over 200 U.S. cities, see the National Diurnal Climatology.

QPF/QPE (Precip)

Explore all aspects of forecasting and estimating precipitation, from weather models to rain gauges. In addition, test your skills in a variety of case studies or use some of our ready-made lecture materials in your teaching.

Special Interest

More on QPF/QPE

Useful Links

• National Precipitation Verification Unit
• NOAA/NWS Hydrologic Services Program (HPC)
• Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCoRaHS)

Radar Meteorology

Learn how radar can help you forecast thunderstorms, precipitation amounts, and tropical weather.

Special Interest

More on Radar Meteorology

Look for a new module, Basic Weather Radar Fundamentals, produced in collaboration with the U.S. Navy sometime in early spring 2012.

COMET Outreach Project

The report, "Validating DSP precipitation product using 50 Guadalupe Blanco River Authority (GBRA) rain gauge rainfall" describes a study that used a high density rain gauge network to validate WSR-88D Digital Storm-total Precipitation (DSP) product for use in flash flood forecasting in south-central Texas. The work was a collaborative effort between the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Austin/San Antonio National Weather Service office.

Satellite Meteorology

In this topic area, find out how current and future satellites and their sensors work, how to interpret what they tell us, and how to make forecasts and other weather products from their data.

Special Interest

More on Satellite Meteorology

MetEd offers 12 individual lessons on JPSS satellites, available through the JPSS Satellites: Capabilities and Applications Course.

Space Weather

Learn about the weather high above Earth’s atmosphere in space. Find out about the beautiful and dangerous effects it can have here on Earth: from auroras to satellite communication and power disruptions.

Special Interest

More on Space Weather

What's Going On With the Sun Right Now?

Find the latest space weather conditions and forecast at the Space Weather Prediction Center. For more technical information on space weather, visit SpaceWeather.org.

Tropical/Hurricanes

Learn about tropical weather the hurricane life cycle, from transient disturbances to their dying days. Here you’ll also find chapters in the COMET program’s growing online Tropical Textbook – a comprehensive guide to understanding tropical weather.

Special Interest

More on Tropical/Hurricanes

Hurricane Strike! Update

Hurricane Strike!, our award-winning module for kids on hurricane science and safety, has recently been updated and is available in three versions:

• Standard Multimedia Version
• Audio Captioned/Keyboard Navigation Multimedia Version for hearing and mobility impaired students
• Text Version for visually impaired students or students with low bandwidth (contains no audio and requires no plug-ins). This version is also available in Spanish.

More About Hurricanes – and Hunting Them

• For answers to common questions about hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones, visit the NOAA Hurricane Research Division FAQ.
• For links to the latest hurricane forecasts, satellite images, and aircraft reconnaissance visit the National Hurricane Center.
• For more detailed information on reconnaissance and dropsonde observations, see Descriptions of NHC Forecast Products.
• For real-time infrared and visible imagery of tropical and hurricane-generating regions, see the NOAA Geostationary Satellite Server.
• For archived hurricane images and movies, visit the NOAA Images/Movies of Hurricanes and Special Events.
• For the details on the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, visit theHurricane Hunters site.
• Finally, for yet mor hurricane articles, images, and activities, see theNASA Hurricane Resources Page.

COMET Outreach Project

The University of Hawaii and the NWS office in Honolulu collaborated on a project to study an unusual period when the State of Hawaii underwent 22 days with flash flood warnings, one damaging tornado, and three severe thunderstorms. They also examined the conditions that lead to a heavy rainfall event over Oahu during the next month. Their findings are described in the report, "Analysis of an unusually heavy rainfall period over the Hawaiian Islands.”

Winter Weather

Winter weather - including avalanches and blowing snow, lake and ocean effect snowstorms, icing, cold air damming, snowpack and snowmelt, banded snow, and much more - is covered in the lessons of this topic area. You’ll also find winter weather case studies and ready-made lecture materials for a refresher on winter weather forecasting.

Special Interest

More on Winter Weather

Winter Weather Distance Learning Course

Improve your winter weather forecasting with a specially tailored suite of COMET modules in the Winter Weather Distance Learning Course. In Part One, improve your mastery of core topics in the field, including microphysics, precipitation type, QPF, and NWP. In Part Two, study advanced topics, including specific wintertime phenomena/case studies and sophisticated techniques for addressing mesoscale precipitation features.

Forecasting in the Far North: NorLatMet Case Study Library

To support training in topics of interest to those in Canada, Alaska, and the northern-tier U.S. states, check out the NorLatMet Case Study Library developed in partnership with the Meteorology Service of Canada. The Library provides a venue for sharing case studies of interest on any aspect of meteorology relating to latitudes poleward of 40ºN.

Satellite Water Vapour Interpretation - Short Course

Also developed in conjunction with the Meteorology Service of Canada, this self-paced distance learning course introduces the power of dynamical thinking. This course is also available in French.