Meteorology 356 Fall 2009 Home Page

February 25, 2004

Furlough Notice

Dr. Monteverdi's remaining Furlough Dates are: Monday 12/7 and Tuesday12/8. The dates affecting Metr 356 are highlighted in red. On those days, Dr. Monteverdi will be unavailable via campus phone and email, and will not be on campus.

Contact the Governor, the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader for details or complaints on the Furlough Program. As of this time, I can find no public email addresses for them.

Meteorology 356:
California Weather Events

Section 1
TTh 0935-1050
513 Thornton Hall

Department of Geosciences
SFSU, Fall 2009

Updated 11/18/09 11:40 AM

This Class Is Closed: No Adds

Instructor:	John Monteverdi, Professor of Meteorology
Office hours:	MW 10-1100; T 1200-1300; or many hours by appointment
Office:	613 Thornton Hall
Phone:	338-7728
E-mail:	montever@sfsu.edu or montever@comcast.net

Live Data From AWS WeatherNet Weather Station at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA

Course-Related Material

Syllabus

Participation

Class Notes

Announcements and Assignments

Wireless Access

Past Links of all In-Class Course Material

Current Discussion
- November 17, 2009
  - US Navy 1-km Visible Satellite(ongoing)
Elements of a Weather Observation
- Dew Point Temperature
  - More on Dew Point (ongoing)
  - Another way of Warming Air
Fronts
- Background Information on Fronts(ongoing)
Thunderstorms
Rainfall Variability in Mediterranean Climate Zone
- Statistical Terms Helpful in Understanding the Manner in Meteorologists Characterize Climate(ongoing)
- Bristlecone Pines (11/19/09)
- Return Period Info for Downtown SF Precip(11/19/09)
- Components of Rainfall Variability: SFSU Flood(11/19/09)
Seasonal Weather Patterns
- Summer Patterns
  - Summer Precipitation and Thunderstorms
    - Why Thunderstorms Only East of Sierra Nevada? -- Impact of Typical Pressure Patterns: Surface and Aloft(11/19/09)
    - Summer Thunderstorm Pattern(11/19/09)
    - Hurricane Impacts on California? Kathleen and Kathleen Rainfall, Norman,and Norman Rainfall, Ignacio and 1997(11/19/09)
    - Bay Area Thunderstorms: 2001(11/19/09)
    - Bay Area Thunderstorms: 1999(11/19/09)
    - Newspaper Biases(11/19/09)
- Fall/Spring Patterns
  - Offshore Flow -- Santa Ana and Diablo Winds
    - Offshore Flow in the Autumn: Diablo Winds(11/19/09)
    - October 22, 2000 (11/19/09)
    - Background: Diablo Winds and Fire Danger in Coastal California (11/19/09)
    - September/October Average Wind Profile: Mt Diablo and Oakland South (Above San Leandro)(11/19/09)
    - December 3rd Santa Ana Driven Fires(11/19/09)
    - Oakland Hills Fire(11/19/09)
      - October 21, 1991 -- Surface, 500 mb, and Infrared Fire Photo (red=fires; yellow=hot spots)
      - Collage
      - Website
- Winter Patterns
  - Background
    - Normal January vs July: Sealevel Pressure and 300 mb Charts(11/19/09)
    - Total Precipitation US: January and July(11/19/09)
  - Great Basin High: Example of Winter Thermal Pressure System
    - Great Basin High December 10, 1998(ongoing)
    - Tule Fog, 11/17/04: 1 km Vis Sat, Surface Data Plot, Jet Stream Location, and Sac Wx Data(ongoing)
    - Tule Fog in the SF Bay Area (ongoing)
  - Bay Area Freezes/Modified Diablo Wind Pattern(ongoing)
    - Freezes with strong wind in the winter: Modified Diablo Wind Pattern
    - December 1988 Freeze/Wind Event
  - Wave Cyclones and California Storm "Types"
    - California Wave Cyclone Types: Typical Tracks
    - Storm Track (Jet Stream) in Typical Configuration: Middle Latitude Type Storm: Schematic
    - Storm Type Characteristics
    - Exceptionally strong Middle Latitude Type Storm....January 3-4, 2008
    - Storm Track (Jet Stream) in Atypical Configuration: High Latitude Type Storm: SF Chronicle and Schematic
    - Storm Track (Jet Stream) in Atypical Configuration: Low Latitude Type Storm: Schematic , "Pineapple Express" and historical basis for "Pineapple Connection" and SF Examiner (1963)
    - Weirs and Bypasses: A flood control system
    - Examples of Dry Bypass and Normally Flooded Bypass and Levee Breech
  - Tornadoes in California?
  - El Niño and La Niña
    - El Niño? (For your info only, not covered on Final Test)
    - Sea-surface temperature patterns for La Niña and El Niño
    - Average Hurricane Tracks in Eastern Pacific: El Niño and "Normal" Year
    - El Niño Precipitation Impacts: All and Strong
    - La Niña Precipitation Impacts: All and Strong
    - SF and LA Precip Anomalies vs El Niño and La Niña
    - 1997-1998 El Nino and CA Precipitation (For your info only, not covered on Final Test)
    - Average Hurricane Tracks in Eastern Pacific: El Niño and "Normal" Year
    - Impacts on Jet Stream

Graded Assignments

Final Grade Information
Participation
Writing Assignments
- Writing Assignment 2 (Distributed 11/05/09; Due beginning of class 11/19/09)
  - Assignment
- Writing Assignment 1(Avg, 78.3; High 97; Low 52)
  - Assignment
  - Key To Comments
Midterms
- Midterm 2
- Midterm 1 (Avg. 172; High 200; Low 96)
  - Midterm 1 Exam
  - Midterm 1 Key
  - Questions 28 to 36: Concept and Answer
  - Midterm 1 Hypothetical Grade Distribution
- Graphics
Homework Assignments
- Homework 2(Avg 95.9; HIgh, 100; Low, 82; Five Students did not turn in assignment and got 0....not included in the average)
  - Assignment
  - Homework 2 Key
- Homework 1(Avg 82.6; HIgh, 100; Low, 52)
  - Assignment
  - Homework 1 Key

Weather and Oceanographic Charts/Maps
- US Navy 1-km Visible Satellite
- Surface Weather Plots
Surface
Mid and Upper Troposphere
- 500 mb Chart for N. America (UCAR)
- 300 mb Chart for N. America (UCAR)
- 500 mb Chart for north Pacific (NWS)
- 500 mb Chart for eastern Pacific (SFSU)
- 500 mb Chart for N. America (SFSU)
- Global Temperatures at the 700 mb Level
- Jet Stream Analysis and Fcst
Sea Surface Temperature Analyses
- Current Global Sea Surface Temperature Maps: Global SST and Anomalies(ongoing)
- Past Month Sea Surface Temperature Maps: Global SSTs and Anomalies(ongoing)
- Current Eastern Pacific Sea Surface Temperature
- Current Eastern Tropical Pacific Sea Surface Temperature
- Current Gulf of Mexico Sea Surface Temperature
- Global Ocean Currents (ongoing)

National Weather Service Links

The NWS Websites represent the BEST source of reliable forecasts available to the public, made by competent meteorologists working for an agency in which accountability and public service are guiding principles.

National Weather Service Forecast Offices

NWS Watches and Warnings

National Hurricane Center

To advise and warn the public
with regard to tropical cyclones

Storm Prediction Center

To advise and warn the public
with regard to severe thunderstorms and tornadoes

Hydrometeorological Prediction Center

To advise and warn the public
with regard to flooding potential