12.310
Assignment 1: Surface Observations
Local
weather is to a large degree controlled by the transport of weather
properties - such as temperature, humidity, etc. - by air currents.
Thus if the wind blows from the north it is likely to transport
(but not always!) cold, dry air.
This connection between local weather and transport of air
properties from surrounding regions is studied here using surface maps
over the US and a time-series of surface observations at a single
station.
1. Reading & problems from Meteorological Manual
Read and complete the specified problems from the first 3 handouts of the
Meteorological Manual:
Ex.1-Temperature, Ex.2-Moisture and Ex.3-Winds and pressure.
(Please keep handouts and hand in only your answers to problems)
2. Current
weather on the web
Use
the PAOC
Synoptic Laboratory web (http://paoc.mit.edu/synoptic)
to practice
looking at the most recent reports for Boston and New England.
Today
you will learn how to read and decode surface observations.
Boston
Weather
Click
on Observations and inspect
Surface Map
– check
the surface observations over the Boston area.
The data is plotted at station locations in a standard format.
Print the map and
decode temperature, dew point temperature, pressure, wind speed and
direction, and weather symbol (if reported) for the following
stations: Boston (BOS), Plymouth (PYM) and Worcester (ORH).
Surface
Meteogram - print
a recent Boston meteogram, and, on a separate
piece of paper, write a report describing the time
evolution of the observations during the day at Boston. What do you
observe?
1.
Are temperature and dew point temperature increasing or decreasing over the last 6 to 12 hours?
2.
What is happening to the surface pressure
over the last 6 to 12 hours?
3.
Are the wind direction and speed changing?
4.
What is the visibility like?
5.
Is there cloud cover? rain? – look at the weather symbols.
6.
Think
about and comment on relationships between these variables.
Do not forget to include date and
time of observations in your report.
Boston Weather Forecast
Click
on Forecast
and inspect
NWS
forecast
Technical
discussion
What
is the Boston forecast for the next class time? Write down the
max and min temps
and the probability of precipitation.
How does this compare to today's weather? Describe differences
and similarities.
3. A case study: maps of surface observations
Here we study the
synoptic situation on January 2, 2008, when a
developing cyclone (and accompanying cold front) affected the
Central and Eastern US regions.
You don't need the web for this part of the Assignment. Use
the hand out given in class.
NOTE. This is what is expected from
Assignment 1:
Part 1- Reading
Reading + problems from 3 handouts: Temperature, Moisture and
Pressure
Part 2 - Current Weather
a.) Surface map data and decoding
b.) Surface meteogram report including the
answers to the questions
c.) Forecast for next class time
Part 3 - Case study
d.) Hand analysis map for surface pressure
e.) Hand analysis map for surface temperature
f.) Comments on the analysis maps
