San José State University
Department of Meteorology & Climate Science
METR 166 – Field Studies – August 2012
Instructors:
Office Location:
Telephone:
TAs:
Office Hours:
Class Days/Time:
Classroom:
Prerequisites:
Dr. Marty Leach (instructor), Dr. Sen Chaio (instructor), Dr.
Alison Bridger (blogger)
Vans 1-3
Cell #s will be distributed on the trip
Jon Contezac & Neil Flaiz; vans 1-3
Questions answered almost 24-7 on the trip
Friday Aug 3 (0930) to Monday Aug 13 (1600), roughly 24-7
daily
Northern Arizona
Undergrads: METR 121B, 100W, 125, 170B;
Grads: ready to enter METR 205A
Course Description
Intensive summer observing campaign in the field. The purpose of the course is to
provide students with hands-on experience using knowledge acquired from their course
work. The course integrates knowledge from roughly three categories: theoretical,
forecasting, and instrumentation.
This is a 3-unit class, consisting of 1 hour lecture & 4 hours activities (so the # hours
spent working on the trip will equal the # hours you would spend on a 3-unit class during
the typical 15-16 week semester).
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
LO1 – Understand the North American Monsoon: its synoptics and characteristics,
including elements on the mesoscale (generally associated with topography).
LO2 – be able to make decisions about which instruments would best support a field
campaign, and about where and how they should be deployed in time and space.
LO3 – Be able to set up and use a variety of instruments in the field, as well as
download/access the data from those instruments.
LO4 – Be able to analyze data collected using software packages in order to analyze the
boundary layer and the convective state of the free atmosphere.
METR 166, Summer 2012
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LO5 – Be able to make forecasts with acceptable skill of convective and other activity
across the Arizona region in support of daily storm chasing.
LO6 – Improve their forecast presentation skills (verbal presentations skills, showing
initiative at presenting new material to support a forecast etc.)
LO7 – Hone their technical writing skills via a term paper that will synthesize many of
the elements of this course.
Required Readings & Equipment
Textbook
None suitable/required to bring.
Other Readings
Papers will be assigned before & during the course.
Other equipment / material requirements
All equipment, laptops & software will be provided for the trip.
Assignments and Grading Policy
Your final grade will be earned via work in the three broad categories of theoretical,
forecasting, and instrumentation, as follows (100% total, of course):
Theoretical/academic
consisting of…
 Mid-term (Thursday Aug 9)
 Final (last thing on Monday Aug 13)
 Final paper (due 1st day of Fall classes)
Forecasting
consisting of…
 Daily forecasting & briefing (includes
participation); hindcasting
Instrumentation
consisting of…
 Field work & instruments (set up,
calibrate, tear down)
 Data analysis
METR 166, Summer 2012
45% total
15%
15%
15%
20%
20% total
35% total
20%
15%
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Classroom Protocol
Suitable behavior is expected at ALL times on the trip (departure  arrival back at SJSU). While
on travel, you are representing SJSU and our program! Bad behavior will be rewarded by your
being flown home early at YOUR expense.
Every student is expected to participate in ALL activities, including, but not limited to:
instrument deployment & calibration; data collection & analysis; forecasting & synoptic analysis;
oral presentations; report writing; assistance with other aspects (packing, unpacking, gassing the
vans, cleaning the van windows, fetching sandwiches etc.).
Dropping and Adding
Since the project is paying for your travel, you are not expected to drop the class once we have
departed SJSU. In emergency situations, we can accommodate early departure (e.g., fly home
from FLG).
Course Format
Broadly, every evening all students will conduct guided analysis of Arizona weather, with a view
to creating: (1) a nightly briefing (at roughly 2130 hrs) of likely locations for convective studies
the next day (24h forecast); and (2) submitted forecasts of N quantities for M locations (values of
N and M will be discussed in class). Students will be divided (by the faculty) into 6 teams of 3
students. Each evening, one team will brief, and one will provide a hindcast of the last 24h.
Everybody will participate in site selection for the next day – not just the loudest voices!!!
In the field, every student will – in their teams – participate in setting up & calibrating
instruments (RAWS, radiosondes etc.), downloading data and providing it to the rest of the class,
and breaking down and stowing instruments. Everybody is expected to “lend a hand” when
needed! For traveling, we will split into either 2 teams per van (3 vans) or 3 teams per van (2
vans), depending on the synoptics etc.
In the classroom (meeting room @ hotel), every student will individually and/or in pairs and/or in
teams work on data analysis. Broadly, this will involve analysis of data using Matlab etc. to
generate a variety of products. Students may be required to write new Matlab scripts to analyze
data. We will plan to have a mini lecture on Matlab in FLG. There will also be a mini lecture on
the radiometer, which is being shipped to FLG.
Midterm & final exam – will cover all aspects of the course, including synoptics (general and
specific), forecast challenges, instrumentation (type, deployment issues, calibration issues), and
data analysis. The format will be short answer and multiple choice.
Forecasting – you will be assessed on the quality and completeness of your presentation.
Field work – you will be assessed the level of competence shown in doing the work, as well as
initiative in problem solving etc.
Final paper – will cover an aspect of the North American monsoon, and will be 5-7 pages long
following AMS format guidelines.
METR 166, Summer 2012
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Course Schedule
Table 1 Course Schedule
Day
Date
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
1
Fri 8/3
Meet on campus 0930-1600. Introductions, course overview,
equipment check out, forecasting class & practicum, instrumentation
overview & practicum, lightning safety.
2
Sat 8/4
Meet on campus @ 0830. Pack vans & depart for field trip (est 10001030 departure). Overnight in Barstow, CA. evening synoptic
analysis & forecasting activities.
3
Sun 8/5
Depart for Flagstaff, AZ (FLG). Calibrate kestrels en route. Be ready
for storm studies en route. Evening forecasting activities (roughly
2000-2200 nightly).
4
Mon 8/6
Morning (unless very active pattern): drive out to NAU site to deploy
various instruments. Convection observations as synoptics allow.
Evening forecasting activities.
5
Tues 8/7
Convection observations as synoptics allow, data analysis, evening
forecasting activities.
6
Wed 8/8
Convection observations as synoptics allow, data analysis, evening
forecasting activities.
7
Thurs 8/9
Midterm (0900-1030 est). Catch up on data analysis. Convection
studies north of FLG.
8
Fri 8/10
Convection observations as synoptics allow, data analysis, evening
forecasting activities.
9
Sat 8/11
Depart for Bishop, CA. Be ready for storm studies en route. Evening
synoptic discussion, downslope flow observations outside Bishop.
10
Sun 8/12
Depart for return to SJSU. Be ready for storm studies en route.
Estimated return to SJSU 1800-1900. Unpack anything of value from
the vans.
11
Mon 8/13
Meet on campus 0930-1600. Unpacking and return vans. Data
analysis. Final exam (1430-1600 est).
Wed 8/22
Term paper (roughly 5pp) due on 1st day of classes; topic will be
announced by the last day of classes at the latest.
METR 166, Summer 2012
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University Policies
Academic integrity
Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose
State University. The University’s Academic Integrity policy, located at
http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm, requires you to be honest in all your academic
course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of
Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical
Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without
giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For
this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise
specified. If you would like to include your assignment or any material you have
submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy
S07-2 requires approval of instructors.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need
to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible, or ssee me during office hours. Presidential
Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must
register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/ to
establish a record of their disability.
METR 166, Summer 2012
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