Tropical Meteorology
(Meteo 452/597C)

Fall 1999

Instructor: William M. Frank (homepage)

Room 506 Walker

865-0470

email: frank@ems.psu.edu

Course Description and Outline

Course Outline
Weather discussion leaders for each class.
Projects.
Links toTropical Sources.
Reference list (generally relevant reading) for this class.
Tropical storm relevant definitions.

Purpose of the Class

The primary goal of this class is to familiarize students with tropical weather and climate. To do this we will examine the dynamics of the tropical atmosphere, the nature of tropical weather systems, and the role of tropics in the general circulation. We will also attempt to improve understanding of how tropical weather influences life in the tropics and in the higher latitudes, and it will introduce students to the art and science of tropical forecasting. Particular emphasis will be placed on forecasting tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) and understanding their impact.

Lab Projects

Project One: Ongoing Tropical Weather Forecasting and Validation
In addition to the daily tropical storm discussion, the second part of Friday's class will be given over to team forecasts for the global tropics. (See the lab homepage for details.) Whenever and whereever there is a tropical storm, these forecasts will include track and intensity change forecasts, as well as likelihood of tropical cyclogenesis. In addition, each team will be assigned two tropical stations. Teams will produce forecasts for each of these stations each Friday.
Each class member will keep a log in which these forecasts are recorded and later validated by the individual. You may choose to do this as a homepage or a written log.
Each forecast will include:
A 48h forecast for each of your team's tropical sites, including (i) maximum and minimum temperatures for each day, (ii) 24h cumulative precipitation, and (iii) cloud cover/some indication of present weather.
Track and intensity tendency forecasts on all active tropical storms.
Potentials for tropical cyclogenesis in each ocean basin.
The last forecasts will be made on Friday, 4 December. Final forecast logs will be due on Friday, 11 December 1998.

Project Two: Lab Projects
These projects will be discussed in the lab session. They will end with an oral presentation and a written report. There will be a wide variety of topics to choose from.

Project Due Dates
Project One (Forecast Log) - Friday 11 December
Project Two (Lab Projects) Written reports - 11 December, Presentations - as scheduled.

Tropical Cyclone Definitions

Dr Frank's homepage

Last Updated: 16 August 1999