Welcome to Atmospheric Sciences 101: Weather
Instructor: Brian Smoliak, PhD Student, UW Atmospheric Sciences
Email: bsmoliak 'at' uw.edu (anonymously or otherwise)
Office: ATG 522 (Enter through South side of building, take elevator or stairs)
Lecture: MTWThF 9:40-10:40am, SIG 227
Office hours: Wednesday, 11:00am-12:00pm (ATG 420)
Thursday, 3:30pm-5:00pm (Cafe Solstice on the Ave)
OR, by appointment
announcements
located on east end of the first floor of OSB, on the south end of campus.
8/5/2010 - Solutions to Week 7 problems are posted.
8/4/2010 - Week 8 reading is posted.
7/29/2010 - Assignments #3 and #4 are posted.
7/29/2010 - Suggested problems for Week 7 are posted.
7/29/2010 - Week 7 reading is posted.
7/29/2010 - Solutions to suggested problems for Week 6 are posted.
7/26/2010 - Selected lecture graphics now posted on the materials page.
7/24/2010 - Suggested problems for Week 6 are posted.
7/23/2010 - Additional reading assignment for Week 6 is posted.
7/22/2010 - Suggested problems and solutions for Weeks 4 and 5 are posted.
7/22/2010 - Week 6 reading is posted.
7/20/2010 - Week 5 reading is posted.
7/07/2010 - Gradebook added to links.
7/06/2010 - Week 4 reading is posted.
7/02/2010 - Suggested problems for Week 3 and solutions are posted.
7/01/2010 - Solutions to suggested problems for Weeks 1 and 2 are posted.
6/30/2010 - Week 3 reading is posted.
6/29/2010 - Suggested problems for Week 2 are posted.
6/25/2010 - Week 2 reading is posted.
6/24/2010 - Suggested problems for Week 1 are posted.
6/22/2010 - Assignment #1 PDF added to course materials page.
6/18/2010 - Monday is the first day of class.
overview
Why is there weather at all? What causes the wind to blow? Why does the weather vary from place-to-place, day-to-day, season-to-season, and year-to-year? How do we observe and measure the atmosphere? Can the weather be predicted, and if so, to what extent? How does weather influence human activity? (Or perhaps how doesn't it do so...)
The goal of this course is to develop your scientific understanding of weather and related atmospheric phenomena. We will emphasize how and why things happen. We'll do more than simply talk about the weather, but actually do something about it through demonstrations, observations, and some basic prediction. Topics will include: the composition and structure of the atmosphere; radiation; meteorological instruments and satellites; atmospheric motions and stability; clouds and precipitation; severe weather; forecasting; weather regimes and climate. Historical context and philosophy of science will also be incorporated.
Students will learn how to be sophisticated consumers of information (i.e., news, data, and imagery) related to weather and climate through weekly weather discussions and daily weather briefings. Demonstration, discussion, and experimentation will supplement lectures often.
