AOS 100
Weather and Climate
Severe and Hazardous Weather
Professor Gregory Tripoli
tripoli@aos.wisc.edu
Grading
Homework
Project
Test 1
Test 2
Final (cumulative)
20%
10%
20%
20%
30%
Term Project
The Assignment: Prepare a scrapbook consisting of at least 10 pictures of weather phenomena
which you must personally photograph during this Fall semester. Also:
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The phenomena must be taken from the “official list”.
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No more than one example from any list item.
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The final scrapbook may be handed in in electronic or hard copy form:
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Electronic: Use MS word or Word Perfect
Hard Copy: 8.5x11 inch paper in a binder, typewritten
The picture takes a page and the explanation appears on the facing page.
The assignment is worth a base 1.0 points out of a total of 10.0 points forming your course grade
If the point total of your 10 pictures is more than 10 points, I will give you up to a maximum of 15
points toward your grade, amounting to a 5 point extra credit option.
Each picture must also include a 1 page documentation and description according to the
instructions included here.
The amount of credit given for each picture will be based on:
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80% (of maximum points on “official list” ) for the quality of the picture itself, rated by:
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how well the phenomenon is captured and framed
How magnificent of a specimen you found
20% (of maximum points on “official list” ) for the completeness of the explanation prorated as shown in
explanation
Caution: If we find any picture sharing (you must take your own pictures) or fraudulent pictures
(like scanning from a book, or downloading from the web), we will give you -10% for the project,
meaning you will start with only a possible 80% for your total grade before exams and homework!
“Official List” of Phenomena
(use no more than one from each bulleted line)
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Alto cumulus (1.0 pt)
Cirro-cumulus (1.0 pt)
Strato-cumulus (1.0 pt)
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Visible breath (1.0 pt)
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Steam Fog(1.0 pt) or Steam Devil (2.0pts)
Dust Devil (2.0 pts)
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Cirro-stratus (1.0 pt)
Stratus Cloud (1.0 pts)
Mare’s tail cirrus (1.0 pt)
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Valley Fog (1. pt)
A Field of billow or wave clouds (1.0 pt)
Orographic (Foehn or Chinook) Cloud (1.0 pt)
Lenticular Cloud (1.0 pt)
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Riming on trees showing crystal structures (1.0 pt)
Dew Drops on grass (1.0 pt)
Frost on grass showing crystal structures (1.0 pt)
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Sun dog or upper tangent arc (1.5 pts)
Mirage or Fata Morgana(1.0 pt)
Sun or moon halo (1.5 pts)
Corona (1.5 pts)
Sun Pillar (1.0 pt)
Crepuscular Rays, Jacobs Ladder (1.0 pt)
Rainbow (1.0 pt) or Double Rainbow (1.5 pts)
Colorful Sunset (1pt)
Layered cumulus
types
vorticies
Flat clouds
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Dendrite crystals (1 pt)
Dendrite aggregates (1pt)
Hexagonal Plate crystals (1pt)
Spatial Dendrites (1pt)
Column Crystals (1pt)
Capped Columns (1pt)
Needle crystals (1pt)
Needle aggregates (1pt)
Hail (1pt)
Rain Drop in flight (2 pt)
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Cumulus humilis; including base and cloud top
(1.0 pt)
Cumulus Congestus; includied in view is cloud
base and cloud top (1.0 pt)
Cumulus Fractus (1.0 pt)
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Mountain
related
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Micro•
photography •
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Optical
Phenomena
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Microphotography
Cumulonimbus cloud; including view of cloud
base and anvil (1.0 pt)
Cumulonimbus top with Pileus (1.5 pts)
Cumulonimbus with overshooting top (1.5 pts)
Scud cloud (0.5 pts)
Wall Cloud (1.5 pts)
Shelf Cloud (1.0 pt)
Lightning (1.5 pts) or with multiple branches
(2.0 points)
Mamatus (1.5 pts)
Gustnado (2.0 pts)
Tornado (priceless!)
cumulus
types
Thunderstorms
Note: For explanations of these clouds, I will post a cloud chart on the web. However you will also need to do some independent research either on the web, or refer
to another text book such as Ahrens, or Ackerman.
Narrative Part
(with an example)
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Date and Time: Wednesday, September 4, 2002 at 6 pm
Location and circumstance: This picture was taken while going out to
dinner at Outback restaurant on the west side of Madison.
Direction: The camera was pointing southwest and upward about 45
degrees from the horizon
Description: Mares tail cirrus. These are thin fibrous clouds composed
entirely of ice which have a distinctive hooked appearance resulting from
wind shear across the falling ice particles.
Estimated Height or Temperature (5%): The cloud is estimated to be
at approximately 30000 ft above the ground.
Weather Situation and Web Weather Map (10% pts): These clouds
were formed on the north side of a warm front that stretched from the
Detroit, Michigan area westward to Des Moines, Iowa (see figure xx).
Theory on How It Was Formed (5%): These clouds were likely formed
by the rising currents of air over the top of the warm front .
Note: Numbers 1-4 are required for any credit at all to be given for the picture.
Numbers 5-7 are percentages of the total credit for your answer that come from
these parts. So a 2 point cloud from the “official list” will derive .04 of its 2 points
from answers 5-7.
Sharing with Class
• Following the first exam, I will be randomly
calling on one student from the class at
least once per week to come to the front of
the class and share a picture that they
took and the explanation that they made.
• The presentation will not be graded, but if
you come up with nothing or are absent 1
point will be deducted from your project
grade.