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WEATHER and CLIMATE Fall 2014

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WEATHER and CLIMATE Fall 2014 GEOGRAPHY 103: WEATHER AND CLIMATE Fall 2014. MWF 10 am to 10:50 am in COM 205. (Schedule #21574) Credit: NOAA Photo Library, NOAA Central Library; Credit: NOAA GOES-12 visible imagery of Hurricane OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) Katrina; 8-29-2008 COURSE DESCRIPTION Why do U.S. winds and storms typically come from the west, yet hurricanes often arrive from the east across the Atlantic Ocean? Why is it that in the summer, we have relatively few thunderstorms in southern California, while they are almost an everyday occurrence during along the coast of Florida, and for that matter in Denver too? Why do we breathe harder and get bad sunburns when we head up to the mountains to hike or ski? Why does air pollution make our blue skies gray, but make sunsets far more colorful and gorgeous? Weather and Climate introduces students to basic principles of the atmosphere such as air pressure, winds and moisture that are responsible for our blue skies, gorgeous sunsets, thunderstorms, gentle trade winds, and thin mountain air. We move on to discuss severe weather, including the phenomenon of lightning, and the unpredictable and potentially devastating hurricanes and tornadoes. We examine how our planet and its population are affected by these weather systems and how we might be influencing our global weather and climate. This class offers General Education credit under “Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning: Physical Sciences.” See SDSU General Catalog for more information. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Dr. Molly Costello Office: Storm Hall 311B (3rd floor) Phone: 619-594-8560 Email: [email protected] Office Hrs: MW 1-2:30 pm by apt. TEXTBOOK AND WEB PAGE The required textbook for this class is Understanding Weather and Climate, 6th edition by Aguado and Burt, available in print at the SDSU bookstore and online. The website provides access to chapter reviews, electronic chapters, visualizations, and practice test questions. Student access to CourseCompass for Aguado/Burt, Understanding Weather and Climate, 6/e with eText. Price: $66.00 USD Go to http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/ and use Course ID of costello86482 CLASS POLICIES -2- 1. This class is supported by Blackboard. You will access Blackboard for announcements, test scores, Powepoints, and other class-related items. 2. No make-up exams are given without prior arrangement with the instructor. Late assignments are not accepted without prior arrangement with the instructor. 3. Attendance is not mandatory, but is highly encouraged since a much better understanding of course material arises from attending lecture. Correspondingly, grades in this course are often substantially higher for students with good attendance. 4. If you have special circumstances (e.g. disabilities, sports schedule conflicts, course forgiveness student, e.s.l. student) please meet with the instructor at the beginning of the course to discuss your situation. 5. The course outline is subject to modification. All changes will be announced in class and will be posted on Blackboard. You are responsible for being aware of any adjustments. EXAMS AND GRADING There will be three non-cumulative examinations and approximately four assignments in this course. Assignments will be designed to complement lecture material and topics and due dates will be provided as the course progresses. The assignments will cumulatively comprise 25% of the grade. The exams will each account for 25% of the course grade and will consist of primarily multiple choice and short answer questions. Make-up exams will only be allowed for special circumstances and should be arranged before the regular exam is given. A study guide will be available on Blackboard prior to each exam. Final grades will be determined by the total number of points received for the three exams and assignments. Grades will be based on a straight scale (points received / points possible x 100) as follows: ≥90% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, <60% = F This scale may be curved at the end of the semester if a reasonable distribution of grades is not obtained from the straight scale. Tentative exam schedule Grade distribution Exam 1: Friday, October 3 Exam 1: 25% of grade Exam 2: Monday, November 3 Exam 2: 25% of grade Exam 3: Monday, December 8 Exam 3: 25% of grade Assignments*: 25% of grade *Note that assignments dates, deadlines and links/documents will be available on Blackboard. Due dates are not provided in the syllabus since the assignment timing is based on class pacing, which varies from semester to semester. CLASS GOALS 1. To have a solid understanding of the principles that control atmospheric processes. 2. To be able to explain how weather and climate affect humans and our environment and how we, in turn, can influence weather and climate at local to global scales. COURSE OUTLINE Class Week Topics / Textbook Chapter Titles Aug 25 - 29 Class structure and organization; introduction to course -3- Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere [Ch 1] Sept. 1 - 5 Labor Day; no class on Monday Solar Radiation and the Seasons [Ch 2] Sept. 8 - 12 Energy Balance and Temperature [Ch 3] Sept. 15 - 19 Atmospheric Pressure and Wind [Ch 4] No class Sept. 19 (Instructor leading field trip for another SDSU course) Sept. 22 - 26 Atmospheric Moisture [Ch 5] Sept. 29 – Oct. 3 Cloud Development and Forms [Ch 6] EXAM #1 on Friday, Oct. 3 Oct. 6 - 10 Precipitation Processes [Ch 7] Oct. 13 - 17 Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure [Ch 8]. Oct. 20 - 24 Air Masses and Fronts [Ch 9]. Oct. 27 – Oct. 31 Midlatitude Cyclones [Ch 10] Nov. 3 - 7 EXAM #2 on Monday, Nov. 3 Lightning, Thunder and Tornadoes [Ch 11] Nov. 10 - 14 Severe Weather Continued [Ch 11 and 12] Nov. 17 - 21 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes [Ch 12] Nov. 24 – 28 Human Effects on the Atmosphere [Ch 14] Thanksgiving break – Nov. 27-28 Dec. 1 - 5 Earth’s Climates and Climate Changes [Ch 15 and 16] Dec. 8 - 10 EXAM #3 on Monday, Dec. 8 The Weather and Climate of San Diego: Integrating Class Concepts Course outline may be adjusted as necessary. Changes are announced in class and posted on Blackboard. -4- SELF-TEST ON WEATHER AND CLIMATE Just for Fun: Take before and after this course to illustrate what you have learned. Chapter 1: What is the primary heating source for our atmosphere and what is the additional heating source found in the stratosphere? Chapter 2: Why does our day length and temperature (seasons) change throughout the year? Chapter 3: Why is the sky blue and why are sunsets red/orange? What is temperature and why does it feel colder when it is windy? Chapter 4: What is wind and what forces influence wind direction and speed? Chapter 5: What is humidity and how is it related to the creation of clouds and fog? Chapter 6: What processes ‘lift’ clouds into the sky and why do clouds have different shapes? Chapter 7: What is rain and how is it formed? How do you end up with hail, or snow, instead? Chapter 8: What is a sea-breeze or a Santa Ana wind and why does it happen? Why does our overall weather along the west coast come from the Pacific Ocean (westerly winds)? Chapter 9: What are warm fronts and cold fronts and how do they affect our weather? Chapter 10: What are mid-latitude cyclones and how do they differ from their tropical counterpart, hurricanes? Chapter 11: What are lightning, thunder, and tornadoes? Where do they occur more frequently and why? Chapter 12: How do hurricanes form? What affects their strength, where they hit, and how long they last? Chapter 16: How are human activities affecting the Earth’s climate and what are we expecting to happen here in San Diego?.
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