1. Envs,Geol,Phys. 112: Global Climate
North America Project

2. Purpose & Goals
Practice the “commitment to data” required for progress in science
Become familiar with on-line data
Create a data base for a particular city for spring of 2010 (and compare to normals)
Gain understanding of atmospheric processes through analysis and interpretation of meteorological data and maps
Gain understanding of weather forecasting and critical ability in judging forecasts

3. Requirements Download data daily from 1/29 to 4/21
Enter data into spreadsheet provided
(keep it on the T drive & a copy on P!!)
Each Friday, contribute to discussion
Preparation:
Print out three plots for your city on THURSDAY!!!
Compare your plots of temp, pressure, humidity, etc., to the weather maps and note air masses, fronts, storms, etc.
Make interpretive notes on plots
Check local newspapers on line for weather stories
In Class
Participate in discussion, lead one discussion during term
Write a summary of the spring for your city & hand in with binder of plots on April 26, 2010

4. For Canadian cities click here!
Downloading Data
Go to weather.gov
Click on Observations: Surface Weather
Find state
For Canadian cities click here!

5. Download Data Print or save the data each 24 hours
download twice each 24 hours to overlap!
Weather Station Call Letters
Coordinates & Elevation: 39°49’ 58”N, º 39’ 27” W m above MSL

6. Date & Time of last datum (EST and UTC)
Download Data
Print or save the data each 24 hours
download twice each 24 hours to overlap!
The data!
Date & Time of last datum (EST and UTC)

7. The Data 24-hours on line Oldest at bottom Newest at top
Time in EST (UTC)
Temp. in F (C)
Dew Point F (C)
a temperature
Pressure in inHg (hPa) (1 hectoPascal = 10 Pa)
Wind Dir & Speed
Time

8. Spreadsheets T:\Global Climate\Cities
Weather & Direction codes
Data: You type in white columns, colored columns calaculated
Plots (3): Made as you type

9. Spreadsheets T:\Global Climate\Cities
Week begins on Thursday at midnight, EST
One tab for Each week (Midnight Thursday to Midnight Thursday)

10. Spreadsheets T:\Global Climate\Cities
Eastern Standard Time
Local Time
weather.gov uses EST

11. Spreadsheets T:\Global Climate\Cities
Thursday
Each day is a different color
Friday

12. Spreadsheets T:\Global Climate\Cities
Temperature
Dew Point
Pressure
Wind Speed
Wind Direction
Weather Code
You fill in WHITE COLUMNS

13. Spreadsheets T:\Global Climate\Cities
You fill in WHITE COLUMNS
Don't touch colored columns!!

14. Climatology First Tab Incident Sunlight Climate Normals
Due to latitude
Climate Normals
30-year averages
Std. Deviations

15. Climatology Tab Fill in white spaces
Latitude, Longitude, Elevation from weather.gov

16. Climatology Tab Fill in white spaces Normals from World Climate
Standard deviations from “Temperature PDF”

17. Normals On “Links” page on class website Station Number
Find your state & station
Station Number

18. These need to be about YOU
Plots
Three made automatically
Temperature, Pressure & Wind Speed
Wind speed, Wind Direction & Weather
Relative humidity and Weather
Must be printed out BEFORE Friday class
CHANGE HEADERS ON ALL PLOTS
These need to be about YOU

19. Frame indicates plot is selected
Changing Plot Headers
Click on plot, select “Print Preview”
Frame indicates plot is selected

20. Changing Plot Headers
Click on “Page Setup” then “Header/Footer”

21. Changing Plot Headers Click on “Custom Header …” Do this every week!
Your City
You

22. Frame indicates plot is selected
Printing Plots
Click on Plot, select on “Print”
Do this every week!
Frame indicates plot is selected

23. Printing Plots
Click on Plot, select on “Print”
Lab_Physics_232 (this room) Lab_Physics_231 (next door) Lab_Physics_204 (across hall)

24. Homework Read The Children’s Blizzard Introduction
Chapter 1: Departures & Arrivals
Chapter 2: Trials
For Monday
Create a Power Point for your city
3 -5 slides
location, geography, fun facts
to be presented next Friday