ATM S 101, Autumn Quarter 1999

Weather

Instructor: Professor Clifford F. Mass
612 Atmospheric Sciences Bldg., Telephone: 685-0910
cliff@atmos.washington.edu

TAs: Scott Eichelberger (Sections AB, AD, AF)
Telephone: 543-6627 seich@atmos.washington.edu
Ignatius Rigor (Sections AA, AC, AE)
Telephone: 543-6627 ignatius@atmos.washington.edu

Lectures:MTWTH, 10:30-11:20 AM; JHN 101

Quiz Sections:
AA F 10:30 - 11:20 JHN 101
AB F 10:30 - 11:20 JHN 64
AC F 11:30 - 12:20 BAG 154
AD F 11:30 - 12:20 JHN 437
AE Th 12:30 - 1:20 JHN 101
AF F 12:30 - 1:20 JHN 214

Quiz Sections will alternate between homework review/remedial (HR) sections (optional but advised) and lab/additional material (LA) sections (mandatory).

Sections schedule: (HR) weeks 2,4,6,8,10; (LA) weeks 1,3,5,7,9.

Office Hours:
Prof. Mass: By appointment.
TA Office: 420 Atmospheric Sciences Bldg. Office Hours: M 1-3 PM; Th 11:30-12:30PM; F 2-3PM. Additional Hours by appointment.

Textbook: Meteorology Today: An introduction to Weather, Climate and the Environment, by C. Donald Ahrens, 1999,6th Edition. (copies are on 6-h reserve at the undergraduate library).

Class Web Site: http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~cliff/A101.html

Homework:

There will be five homework assignments--the lowest grade will be dropped. Homework will be handed out Wednesday and is due Tuesday of the next week at the beginning of class. No late homework will be accepted.

Final Exam: The final exam is scheduled for 10 December, 8:30 - 10:20AM.

Grading:

2 midterms, 50%; Homework/Lab, 20%; Final exam, 30%.

Course Outline:

9/27 Introduction. Temperature and its measurement pp.26-27, 75-78.
9/28 Pressure and its measurement pp. 8-9, 210-216
9/29 Wind and humidity pp. 250-253
9/30 Surface weather map. Isobars and winds pp. 216-219
10/4 Identifying clouds I pp. 136-150
10/5 Fronts and cyclones. Upper air observations.
10/6 Upper air charts. Weather satellites
10/7 Interpreting satellite pictures. Weather radar
10/11 Composition and origin of the atmosphere. pp. 1-7
10/12 Vertical structure of the atmosphere. pp. 9-22
10/13 Gas laws
10/14 Adiabatic warming and cooling pp. 105-112
10/18 Moisture and its measurement pp. 112-123
10/19 Condensation, evaporation, and latent heat pp. 126-134
10/20 Dew, frost, and fog pp. 134-137
10/21 Stability and instability. pp. 160-167
10/25 First Mid-Term Exam
10/26 Cloud development pp. 167-178
10/27 Precipitation mechanisms and weather modification pp. 182-205
10/28 Air pollution/ozone hole pp. 441-467
11/1 Force and motion. Coriolis and pressure gradient forces pp. 221-227
11/2 Geostrophic balance. Effects of friction and topography. pp. 227-234
11/3 Radiation and heat transfer. pp. 28-40
11/4 Solar and terrestrial (infrared) radiation. pp. 41-44, 5468
11/8 Planetary temperature. Greenhouse effect.
11/9 Global warming and the ozone hole pp. 492-499
11/10 Optical phenomena. pp. 81-101
11/15 Air masses and fronts. pp. 301-321
11/16 Cyclones and their development pp. 325-339
11/17 Global wind systems pp. 273-292
11/18 Thunderstorms and Hurricanes pp. 381-402.
11/22 Second Mid-Term Exam
11/23 Tornadoes pp. 403-415
11/24 Hurricanes and tropical meteorology pp. 419-438
11/29 Local winds (sea breezes, mountain/valley winds) pp. 253-268
11/30 Weather of the Pacific Northwest
12/1 Weather forecasting I pp. 351-363
12/2 Weather forecasting II pp. 363-378
12/6 Personal weather forecasting
12/7 El Nino/ENSO and it local/global effects pp. 292-297
12/8 Climate change pp. 505--527
12/10 Final Exam

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