ENSC 201: Weather and Climate Winter2014
Appendix A
WEATHER OBSERVATION & ANALYSIS PROJECT
A.1 OBJECTIVE:
To observe, describe and explain Prince George’s weather for a specified, continuous four-day period. This project is designed to give you experience:
· observing and collecting measured weather data,
· reading a variety of weather instruments,
· converting measurements into standard weather observations,
· rationalizing data and reasonably dealing with data problems to make a useable data set,
· presenting, graphing, and analyzing collected data in a meaningful way, and
· integrating all the synoptic and local weather data collected over the observation period into a concise well written report which describes, interprets and explains the observation period’s weather pattern(s).
METHOD:
You will monitor the Prince George weather for a specified 4-day period, and gather data from the sources indicated below. Monitoring will involve a combination of group and individual work. Once the data are compiled, each student will produce a concise, original, individually written report based on the collected data that interprets and explains the observed weather pattern in terms of the synoptic and local conditions that occurred over the 4 days.
Observation Period and Project Due Date:
You will make weather observations at an assigned Stevenson screen that has been setup for this project on the Teaching Lab Building roof. Data will also be gathered from the UNBC Weather Station and other publicly available websites. Your data collection time at a specific Stevenson screen will be determined during a lab several weeks prior to the start of the observation period. This, elements of the project, and the project due date are indicated on the Course Schedule.
During the four day observation period you will collect information from the following sources. You will integrate these into a report that characterizes and explains the weather that occurred.
1. Roof-top Data Collection Sheet: You will work with other students who are assigned to take observations and measurements from the same Stevenson screen. In pairs you will observe and record weather data once per day at a set time using instruments set up in Stevenson screens on the Teaching Lab roof and from the UNBC Weather Station (accessed through the display on the second floor of the Teaching Lab Building). Each week during the labs, a demonstration will provide specific training on how to use the necessary meteorological equipment; an accompanying handout will detail each observation technique. The lab manual table of contents indicates which meteorological techniques we will use. A summary of the entire data collection process follows in this document under Weather Observation Procedures. Once completed, your Stevenson screen’s Data Collection Sheet will provide quantitative observations covering the four day weather project observation period; these will form a basis for your report.
2. Personal Weather Diary: In the form of a personal weather diary/journal, you will individually observe and record qualitative observations of the weather over the four-day observation period. When personally convenient, but spread out over each day and extending into the evening / night you will make four or more journal entries each day that briefly note information about weather and sky conditions at your current location - where ever it is. This should be done during times when you are not making formal measurements on the lab building roof. At the end of each day, you must summarize (i.e. one or two sentences) the main weather pattern for that day using your multiple daily observations to formulate your ideas. Finally, at the end of the four days you must write a similar brief summary (i.e. a paragraph) of the weather for the entire observation period.
Your diary represents qualitative weather descriptions that record the weather you experience when you are not taking measurements at the Stevenson screen. Rather than being more individually made measurements or guesses at measured values, attempt to observe weather patterns or changes in sky conditions as they occur. It should include notes about the:
· dominant weather condition (main weather feature / relative warmth or cold)
· sky condition (main cloud type/amount or levels of visibility)
· precipitation (rain or snow; and when they start/occur if possible)
· wind (strength, approximate direction) and
· interpretive comments about the weather. This includes anything you found interesting; any additional phenomena such as fog, ground frost, lightning, etc..
This diary will help you better observe and understand the weather patterns. It provides additional interpretive data that complement the quantitative observations made at your Stevenson screen. Having evening observations will help you notice and understand weather changes that occur outside of our Stevenson screen measurement times.
You are required to submit your original hand-written weather diary as an Appendix in your report, so plan how you will record this information in advance, and maintain it as neatly as possible. It must be possible to attach to your report, and be easily readable and understandable.
3. Weather Maps / Charts / Graphs / Data: A wide range of local and synoptic weather information is available from publically available sources. You will need to collect some of this to explain the weather that occurred over the four day observation period. Through the course, you will learn how to collect and interpret these sources of information. They are required to properly understand and explain the four day weather period.
One of the best of these is the UNBC Weather Station (UNBC Wx Stn); because it is located on top of the Research Lab roof it provides an excellent resource for our project. As demonstrated regularly in lab and lecture, the data are displayed as text and graphically from a link on the course website at (http://weather.unbc.ca/wx/index.html ). As the UNBC Wx Stn is located on the building directly across from our roof-top measurements, these data provide a comparable, 24-hour tracking of similar or complementary weather observations. Having 24-hour recording is something we are not able to do with student observers. Viewing the graph as the weather is happening will improve your understanding of the weather pattern as it is occurring. Note that when using the UNBC Weather Station, it always reports in Pacific Standard Time (PST). The UNBC Weather Station graph is an obvious good additional information source. It should be used to help you interpret the weather that occurred but it cannot replace using your roof-top weather observations in your reprort.
Synoptic weather maps are also required to form and explain your understanding of weather events and their evolution over the observation period. Synoptic maps provide information about the spatial and temporal evolution of storms (synoptic scales are approximately the same as regional scales). Environment Canada provides a listing of their weather maps at: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/analysis/index_e.html (coming from http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca and selecting the Anaysis & Modelling à Analysis Charts links). Collect the Surface Analysis: MSLP Complete maps as they are easier to interpret than the Preliminary maps; this is because the Complete maps have had meteorologists interpret them and draw in fronts and other indicators of weather data. Additionally, as will be regularly shown in the lecture, some of these Environment Canada maps are collected and animated on http://cirrus.unbc.ca/wxv; select ANALYSIS and then choose one of the CMC loops. For this report, the Surface and 500 hPa analyses are usually the most helpful of the offered maps.
You are encouraged to look for other relevant websites on your own; you can explore both within these links and on websites provided by other media outlets, but carefully evaluate the type and quality of information before using it. Remember, forecasts are not useful for this report as you are not predicting the weather; rather you are trying to document and explain what has happened; so choose your information sources accordingly. Like literature references, any material that you don’t personally create must be properly referenced. So, as you gather data record the original information source (not just its second-hand link).
- Satellite Images can supplement weather maps and help you understand weather systems through their associated cloud patterns. Satellite images are useful when viewing the synoptic-scale evolution of weather patterns and storms that may affect our area during the observation period. There are many sites with satellite images available on the internet. Environment Canada posts satellite imagery on the following sites http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/satellite/index_e.html (the GOES West links show our area well). These and similar images are also repackaged and displayed on http://cirrus.unbc.ca/wxv . (Select SATELLITE and choose the IR links - useful are the GOES-10, and Alaska links which provide a good view of the weather approaching northern BC, as well as any of the GOES-W links which relay the Environment Canada infrared satellite data). Note that satellite images are produced at a much higher frequency than weather maps. You do not need to collect all of them to see weather patterns. To be most effective, collecting satellite images that match the times of the weather maps will allow you to better interpret the synoptic weather that occurred. As with the weather maps, this information requires proper referencing (including original sources).
Collecting and interpreting synoptic weather information (maps and satellite images) can be a confusing part of the project. Instructors will be regularly demonstrating how to do this, but you should review and practice collecting weather information on your own before the observation period starts. Part of the project evaluation is based on how you select and use local and synoptic data sources for your report. Being familiar with this information and how to collect it prior to the observation period is very helpful as you will be busy enough during the data collection week. The type of weather pattern that actually occurs will make some types of maps and satellite images more useful than others. The more you realize what the different data products show, the easier it is to collect appropriate information for the weather we experience during the observation period. You must collect synoptic map and satellite data in “real time” as these are not normally available after the data collection period (many of these electronic files are overwritten as new maps are produced on a daily basis). It is best to collect more data than you will use in order to ensure you have the information you want. Usually, it is hard to know what will be most useful until after the observation period is over. However, keeping and using too much information poses other problems when writing the report. This must also be avoided. Advice will be available during the writing phase of the report to assist you in making decisions on what to collect and how to use it. If you are not clear about what to do, ask your instructor for advice before the start of the data collection phase of the project.
In summary, your report is based on the previous four types of weather information. The first two are your primary data sources, the third and fourth complement and enhance your collected data and are required to understand and explain the weather that occurred.
A.2 WEATHER OBSERVATION PROCEDURES:
Observation techniques and procedures will be learned during labs. A practice-run of the whole data collection process will occur before the data collection week. Students will work in pairs (sometimes threes) to collect weather measurements from an assigned Stevenson screen, but everyone must write an independent, individual weather diary, and weather report. (Submitting a copied report is academic misconduct and will result in an automatic failure and university sanctions.) Each observation group is assigned a daily time slot and Stevenson screen, where they will report their weather measurements during the 4-day data collection period. However, to collect weather measurements three times each day (~8 am, noon, and 4 pm) for each Stevenson screen, three different groups of students (sometimes from different lab sections) will form a larger team of students who are responsible to record all the data for a single Stevenson screen. Once the observation schedule is finalized, copies will be posted on the website, near the Stevenson screens, and outside the UNBC Weather Display.
Each group (i.e. pair or threesome) is responsible for completing their time slot’s data collection. Exchange cell phone numbers, and make prior contingency plans so you can cover for each other if problems arise. There are significant mark deductions for groups that miss assigned observations. Group members are expected to work together when taking measurements. When this isn’t possible for every measurement, groups must coordinate how they will cover for each other. During scheduling, the Senior Lab Instructor will ensure that as much as possible, data collection can be done by all group members.
Observations should be completed within 30 minutes of the set data collection times. As your group becomes more efficient, 10 -15 minutes will be enough time to complete the observations. Because groups have plus or minus 30 minutes of the assigned observation time to complete measurements there is ample time. Weather measurements are recorded on Data Collection Sheets (see the sample at the end of this document) that will be attached to clipboards kept in the Weather Observation room on the roof of the Teaching Lab Building. These sheets always remain on the roof clipboards (until the end of the data collection period when they are put on reserve in the UNBC Library). Accurate instrument reading techniques, care of equipment, observation punctuality, and neat, accurate, legible record keeping are the keys to successful data collection. Having quality data to analyse will make report writing much easier and more efficient for everyone.
Students will also have a personal copy of the Data Collection Sheet. We recommend you have it with you during the observation period so that as you are making your daily roof-top observations, you can review and record the other observations for your Stevenson screen on your personal copy. To avoid data entry errors always copy data from the roof-top sheet onto your personal copy, not the other way around. Remember to leave spaces on your personal Data Collection Sheet copy so you can write the observations for your Stevenson screen in order by their time (starting with the 8 am timeslot each day). Check for observation consistency (e.g. maximum temperatures should be greater than minimum values for a reading; wet-bulb temperatures are lower or equal to air temperatures; snow or rainfall data makes sense according to what you recall occurred). If values seem questionable, try to determine what the error is; ask an instructor to confirm the problem. If there is a problem with someone else’s observations talk to one of the instructors to make sure your understanding of the problem is correct. They may be able to alert the other observers to the problem and try to correct it before it reoccurs. If you notice these issues as you are recording data, email your lab instructor and annotate them on your personal copy of the data collection sheet. After the data collection week is over, there will be lab time to review the quality of your team’s data (we call this data rationalization), and these notes may be helpful.