Geography 4331 / 5331
Spring 2007
Mountain Climatology
Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 – 3:15 p.m. Hellems 255
Roger G. Barry
CIRES / Geography, phone (303) 492-5488
E-mail: rbarry@kryos.colorado.edu
Office Hours: Guggenheim 203: 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. T, Th; RL2 by appointment
Structure:
The course will survey research on altitudinal and topographic effects on weather and
climate in mountain areas and discuss mountain climate characteristics (including
bioclimatology and climate change) in different climate regions.
A basic
weather/climate college background course is required.
Grading:
4331: Midterms I & II 25 % each, Final 50%
5331: Midterms I & II 20 % each, Final 30%, Paper 30%
Text:
R.G. Barry, 1992 Mountain Weather and Climate, (2 nd edn. Paperback) Routledge.
Readings:
Class notes and other readings will be placed on reserve online on a weekly basis.
Dates
Major Topics
16 Jan.
INTRODUCTION: Scale considerations; physical characteristics of mountains
18 Jan.
CLIMATE OBSERVATIONS:
23 Jan.
CLIMATE FACTORS:
25 Jan.– 6 Feb.
ALTITUDE EFFECTS: Pressure, water vapor, radiation components, temperature, wind.
8 – 20 Feb.
OROGRAPHIC EFFECTS: Airflow-lee waves and larger-scale effects, dynamicallyforced winds, thermal wind systems.
22 Feb.
REVIEW
27 Feb.
MID-TERM EXAM I [5331 PROJECT PAPER ABSTRACT DUE]
1 – 20 Mar.
CLIMATE CHARACTERISTICS: Topo & Micro Climate, Slope & aspect effects,
Energy budget & temperature, Cloud regimes, Precipitation, Moisture budget.
27 – 29 Mar.
Spring Break
3 – 5 Apr.
BIOCLIMATOLOGY: (altitude and cold)
10 – 17 Apr.
REGIONAL CASE STUDIES: Equatorial and tropical mid-latitudes
19 Apr.
MID TERM EXAM II
24 Apr.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN MOUNTAIN AREAS:
26 Apr.
PROJECT REPORT PRESENTATIONS (5331)
1 May
REVIEW
3 May
No Class
Sat. 5 May 10:30-13:00
FINAL EXAM
Geography 4331 / 5331
Spring 2007
Mountain Climatology
Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 – 3:15 p.m. Hellems 255