Severe Weather
- To learn the meteorology behind various types of severe weather
- To understand how meteorologist forecast and diagnose severe weather events
- To gain experience observing, interpreting, and forecasting severe weather events using meteorological data
- Have a firm understanding of the variety of severe and hazardous weather and the processes that drive them
- Understand how weather forecasts for severe weather are made
- Be able to appreciate the processes that drive the weather around them and understand why some weather events become severe while others do not
- Understand how weather connects with the environment and socioeconomic landscapes
Geog 314U: "Severe Weather" covers a range of severe, hazardous, and extreme weather phenomena. A foundational understanding of meteorology will be established in order to understand what ingredients are necessary for weather to reach severe levels. Types of severe weather covered include extreme temperatures, heavy precipitation, atmospheric rivers, tornadoes, hurricanes, severe thunderstorms and severe winter weather. Course material will be supported with case studies of notable past severe weather events. In-class discussion of current or potential severe weather events will constitute a portion of this class when nature presents us with the opportunity. Students will also be asked to consider the role severe weather events, forecasts and weather warnings play in community safety and equity. Course material will be descriptive and qualitative, however this course will be focused primarily on the physical science of severe weather. Solving math equations will not be required, but seeing math equations and interpreting their meaning is a fundamental part of this course.