Knowledge Expectations for METR 4433

Mesoscale Meteorology

 

Purpose: This document describes the principal concepts, technical skills, and fundamental understanding that all students are expected to possess upon completing METR 4433 Mesoscale Meteorology.  Individual instructors may deviate somewhat from the specific topics and order listed.

 

Pre-requisites: Grade of C or better in METR 4133 and METR 4424. Students should have a good understanding of the structure, dynamics, physics and thermodynamics of the atmosphere prior to starting this course.

 

Goal of the Course: This course teaches the structure and dynamics of convective and mesoscale phenomena, including mesoscale convective systems, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, low-level jets, mountain waves and hurricanes. For most of these phenomena, the course discusses their general behaviors and characteristics, the dynamics of their formation and development, and the types of weather and hazards they produce, and in some cases their prediction. Specific topics and expected knowledge and understanding by the students after taking the course are given below.

 

1. Scale analysis and definition of scales

2. Dryline and mesoscale low-level jet

4. Convection, single-cell storms and microburst

5.   Organized convective systems, including multicell storms, squall lines and mesoscale convective complexes

6. Supercell storms and tornadoes

7. Mesoscale rainbands, horizontal convective rolls and land-sea breezes

8. Mesoscale rainbands, horizontal convective rolls and land-sea breezes

9. Hurricanes