53608: Advanced Topics in Meteorology

Subtitled: Synoptic and Mesoscale Influences on Convection

Professor: David Schultz

Class time: Period 2, 29 October to 12 December 2007, 1215-1400, Monday, Wednesday

Class location: Physicum A115, A116

Prerequisites: Permission of Instructor


Tentative Syllabus:

Monday October 29: Introduction and Reading Scientific Articles
“How to Read a Journal Article Critically” by Pamela Heinselman
Reading Scientific Literature-Flinders University

Elena suggests the following method for reading: silmäile-syvenny-muistele-kertaa

Etymology:

Silmäile= use your eyes (silmä=eye)

Syvenny= go deeper (=commit)(syvä=deep)

Muistele=recall (muisti=memory)

Kertaa = repeat

Wednesday October 31: Practice Reading and Critiquing Journal Articles
Browning (1964): Airflow and Precipitation Trajectories within Severe Local Storms Which Travel to the Right of the Winds

Monday November 5:  An Overview of Convection and Synoptics
Doswell (2001): Severe Convective Storms -- An Overview

Wednesday November 7: An Overview of Convection and Synoptics
Doswell and Bosart (2001): Extratropical Synoptic-Scale Processes and Severe Convection

Monday November 12: Convective Climatologies

Zipser, E.J., D.J. Cecil, C. Liu, S.W. Nesbitt, and D.P. Yorty, 2006: Where are the most intense thunderstorms on Earth? Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 87, 1057–1071.

Hsu, C.P.F., and J.M. Wallace, 1976: The Global Distribution of the Annual and Semiannual Cycles in Precipitation. Mon. Wea. Rev., 104, 1093–1101.

Wallace, J., 1975: Diurnal Variations in Precipitation and Thunderstorm Frequency over the Conterminous United States. Mon. Wea. Rev., 103, 406–419.

Wednesday November 14: Convective Climatologies

Morel, C. and Senesi, S. 2002 A climatology of mesoscale convective systems over Europe using satellite infrared imagery. II: Characteristics of European mesoscale convective systems. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. , 128, 1973-1995.

 

(Skim Part I of this two-part series so that you have some understanding of the methodology, but I don't expect you to read Part I as carefully as Part II.)

Morel, C. and Senesi, S. 2002 A climatology of mesoscale convective systems over Europe using satellite infrared imagery. I: Methodology. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. , 128, 1953-1971.

 

Monday November 19: European Climatology

Lecture on Brooks et al. (2003) and new material presented at the 2007 European Conference on Severe Storms


Wednesday November 21: Low-Level Wind Maxima

Stensrud (1996): Importance of Low-Level Jets to Climate: A Review. J. Climate, 9, 1698-1711.

Uccellini, L.W., 1980: On the Role of Upper Tropospheric Jet Streaks and Leeside Cyclogenesis in the Development of Low-Level Jets in the Great Plains. Mon. Wea. Rev., 108, 1689–1696.

 

Ari-Juhani lecture on Finnish LLWM

 

Monday November 26:  Mesoscale Processes

Johnson and Mapes (2001): Mesoscale Processes and Severe Convective Weather, Chapter 3

 

Wednesday November 28:  Mesoscale Convective Systems

Houze (2004): Mesoscale Convective Systems.  Sections 1-7 are required.  Other sections are optional.

 

Monday December 3: Wrapping It All Up:  A Case Study

Thompson, R. L., and R. Edwards, 2000:  An overview of environmental conditions and forecast implications of the 3 May 1999 tornado outbreak. Wea. and Forecasting, 15, 682–699.

 

Wednesday December 5: Lecture by David Schultz

Liisa and Eerik class presentations

Reading is optional.

Horgan, K.L., D.M. Schultz, J.E. Hales, S.F. Corfidi, and R.H. Johns, 2007: A Five-Year Climatology of Elevated Severe Convective Storms in the United States East of the Rocky Mountains. Wea. Forecasting, 22, 1031–1044.

Van Den Broeke, M. S., D. M. Schultz, R. H. Johns, J. S. Evans, and J. E. Hales, 2005: Cloud-to-ground lightning production in strongly forced, low-instability convective lines associated with damaging wind. Wea. Forecasting, 20, 517-530.

 

Monday December 10: Lightning

Williams (2001): The Electrification of Severe Storms, Chapter 13

Antti presentation on lightning in Finland

 

Wednesday December 12: Student Presentations

Class Project Presentations.  See handout.


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David Schultz     david dot schultz at fmi dot fi
Last update: 9 November 200
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