Discover how to forecast the weather.
Weather forecasting is never completely accurate, but it is feasible to make predictions about what weather conditions are more or less likely by looking for patterns and understanding the components that affect the weather.
You don’t need to look any further if you have any personal or professional interest in the environment, science, or climate.
You will learn about the main aspects of weather forecasting in this course. If any of the following apply to you:
- have a personal interest in weather patterns
- work in any field that is affected by weather
- require specific expertise to support your company activities
We must learn to cooperate with the weather because neither we nor it can be avoided or controlled for the best results.
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
- What to Measure
- What is Weather Forecasting?
- Weather Warnings
- Weather forecasting
- Impacts to people
- Impacts for farming
- Weather factors
- Cloud cover
- Minimum temperature
- Maximum temperature
- Dry bulb temperature
- Wet bulb temperature
- Wind speed
- Wind direction
- Precipitation
- Absolute humidity
- Relative humidity
- Dew point
- Mean sea level pressure
- Station level pressure
- Water vapour pressure
- UV index
- Tools for forecasting
- Equipment
- Weather stations
- Weather balloons and drones
- Satellites
- Recording, Storing and Processing Data
- High Performance Computers
- Numerical Weather Forecasting
- What should be in a minimal weather station?
- Types of Forecasting
- Persistence Forecasting
- Climatological Forecasting
- Use of a Barometer
- Looking at the Sky
- Nowcasting
- Numerical Weather Prediction models
- Statistical Forecasting
- Analogue Forecasting
- Ensemble Forecasting
- Weather Models
- Introduction
- Weather models data sets and global weather models
- ECMWF
- GFS
- How Weather Models are Built
- Grid size
- Problems with the Grid
- How do parameterisations work?
- Model Uncertainty
- Data Assimilation
- Mesoscale/Regional models
- The Human Element of Weather Modelling
- Predicting Temperature
- Diurnal temperature variation
- Forecasting maximum temperature
- Forecasting minimum temperature
- Effect of snow cover
- Severity of frost
- Forecasting grass minimum temperature
- Minimum temperature on road surfaces
- Heat Stress Determination
- Urban Heat Island
- Predicting Rain
- Introduction
- Convection and Showers
- Forecasting convective cloud
- Forecasting showers
- Forecasting cumulonimbus and thunderstorms
- Layer clouds and precipitation
- Layer cloud formation
- Condensation trails
- Orographic rainfall
- Formation of stratocumulus
- Precipitation associated with layered clouds
- Snow
- Air Conditions
- Introduction
- Air Quality
- Air Pollution and Its Effect on Climate
- Carbon Dioxide
- Methane
- Airborne Chemicals
- Air Particles
- Pollen and Allergies
- Radon
- Wind and Turbulence
- Mechanical Turbulence
- Thermal Turbulence
- Frontal Turbulence
- Wind shear
- Humidity
- Visibility
- Practical Applications
- Introduction
- Severe Weather Alerts
- Aviation
- Marine
- Agriculture
- Forestry
- Utility Companies
- Private Sector
- Military
- Medicine and Human Health
- Waves and surges
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school’s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
- Identify where and when to measure weather-related parameters in order to anticipate weather conditions in any given location with relative and economically viable probability.
- Explain how to utilise various instruments and equipment to measure and analyse meteorological conditions.
- Evaluate different methods of forecasting to find the one that best fits the situation.
- Explain how weather models work and what they mean.
- Describe how temperature ranges can be predicted.
- Explain how rainfall is forecasted in the short, medium, and long periods.
- Predict air conditions such as humidity, turbulence, visibility, contaminants, and so on.
- Use your knowledge of weather forecasting in a variety of sectors.
WHO CAN USE THIS COURSE TO THEIR BENEFIT?
This course can find practical application in a wide variety of situations, including:
- Farmers can plan more effectively.
- Better planning can be done by city planners.
- Gardeners, landscapers, and land managers can better manage short and long-term projects.
- Water and land resources can be handled more effectively.
- Event and activity planning and management
- Handling Life-Threatening Conditions
- Flying and sailing are examples of navigation.
- Someone who enjoys outdoor hobbies and pursuits
WHY TAKE THIS COURSE?
This course will lead to:
- your understanding of how important weather forecasts are
- your comprehension of the risks involved and the value placed on weather forecasts
- your comprehension of how probability affect day-to-day existence
- your perception of choices that enhance performance or business
- Your greater understanding of data modelling
