Welcome to the GEOS 120, Weather, webpage for the Spring 2015 semester.
Spring 2015 Lectures: MWF, 12:00 - 12:50 PM. Location: Holt 352
Syllabus
Required Book: Meteorology Today, 11th Edition, by C. Donald Ahrens and
Robert Henson
The following will list what we actually covered. For a tentative schedule, please see the
syllabus.
Wed., 21 Jan., Review syllabus. Begin Chapter 1: Earth and its atmosphere; the Sun; overview of energetics that begin to drive weather and climate
Fri., 23 Jan., CO2 rising and climate change; observations
Mon., 26 Jan., Quiz #1. Lecture: more on observations. Then begin Chapter 2: Energy: Warming the Earth and Atmosphere; forms of energy
Wed., 28 Jan., Continue Chapter 2: heat capacity; phase change; conduction; convection
Fri., 30 Jan., Continue Chapter 2: rising and sinking of air parcels; convection versus advection; begin radiation.
Mon., 02 Feb., Homework #1 due. Lecture: Continue Chapter 2: radiation; earth's energy balance; scattering, absorption, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases.
Wed., 04 Feb., Conclude Chapter 2. Begin Chapter 3: Seasonal and daily temperatures.
Fri., 06 Feb., Quiz #2. Begin Chapter 4 on Atmospheric humidity.
Mon., 09 Feb., Conclude Chapter 4 and begin Chapter 5: Fog and clouds.
Wed., 11 Feb., Quiz #3 on Chapters 3 and 4. Lecture: Chapter 5 on Clouds.
Fri., 13 Feb., Homework #2 (on Chapters 3 and 4) due. Complete Chapter 5 on Fog and Clouds.
Mon., 16 Feb., Exam #1 on Chapters 1-4.
Wed., 18 Feb., Begin Chapter 6: Stability and cloud formation.
Fri., 20 Feb., Quiz #4 on Chapters 4 and 5. Lecture: Continue with Chapter 6. Assign homework due Monday.
Mon., 23 Feb., Mechanisms for cloud development.
Wed., 25 Feb., Begin Chapter 7: Precipitation.
Fri., 27 Feb., Lecture: Chapter 7
Mon., 02 Mar., Special assignment due. Lecture: Complete Chapter 7 and begin Chapter 8: Air pressure and wind.
Wed., 04 Mar., Quiz on Chapter 7. Lecture on Chapter 8: pressure gradients and wind.
Fri., 06 Mar., Homework on Chapter 7 due. Lecture on forces that control the wind: PG, Coriolis, centripetal, and friction. Geostrophic flow.
Mon., 09 Mar., Quiz on Chapter 8
Wed., 11 Mar.,
Fri., 13 Mar., Exam #2 on Chapters 5--8.
Mon., 17 Mar., Spring break - no classes
Wed., 17 Mar., Spring break - no classes
Fri., 20 Mar., Spring break - no classes
Mon., 23 Mar., Quiz on Chapter 9. Lecture on Chapter 9.
Wed., 25 Mar., Returned quiz. Collected Homework. Lecture: Finish Chapter 9. Begin Chapter 10.
Fri., 27 Mar., Upper air charts, jet streams, polar vortex. Then, begin air-sea interaction.
Mon., 30 Mar., Instructor on field work. Special extra credit assignment
Wed., 01 Apr., Finish Chapter 10 and begin Chapter 11: airmasses and fronts
Fri., 03 Apr., Complete fronts. Begin chapter 12: extra-tropical cyclones: polar front theory, long waves, short-waves
Mon., 06 Apr., Classes canceled due to power outage
Wed., 08 Apr., Quiz on Chapter 11. Lecture on Chapter 12. cyclogenesis, upper air support, jet-streaks, vorticity.
Fri., 10 Apr., Quiz on Chapter 12.
Mon., 13 Apr., Chapter 12 homework due. Chapter 13: Weather forecasting
Wed., 15 Apr., Finish chapter 13; begin chapter 14: Thunderstorms
Fri., 17 Apr., Exam #3 (Chapters 9--13)
Mon., 20 Apr., Continue Thunderstorms (Chapter 14) and begin tornadoes (Chapter 15)
Wed., 22 Apr., Quiz on Chapter 14. Returned exam #3. Finished Chapter 15 (Tornadoes) & Severe weather (lightning, floods) and began Chapter 16: Hurricanes.
Fri., 24 Apr., Complete Chapter 16 (Hurricanes) and Begin Chapter 17: Global Climate, micro, meso, macro, global climates
Mon., 27 Apr., Quiz on Chapters 15 and 16. Complete Chapter 17 and begin Chapter 18: Climate change
Wed., 29 Apr., Homework on Chapters 15 & 16 due. Continue discussion of climate change. Natural causes.
Fri., 01 May, Quiz on Chapter 17 and 18. Complete Chapter 18: Climate change, global warming, IPCC, CO2, fossil fuels.
Mon., 04 May, Chapter 19: Air Pollution.
Wed., 06 May, Quiz on Chapter 19. Homework on Chapter 19 due.
Fri., 08 May, Lecture:Review. All graded materials returned.
Wed. 13 May, 12:00 - 1:50 PM: Final Comprenshvie Exam
Dr. Mayor's page
CSU Chico Atmospheric Lidar Research Group