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Since the first successful tornado forecast in 1948, severe weather forecasting in the United States has undergone a series of step-wise improvements. Important milestones can be linked to development of new observation platforms, maturation of numerical modeling capabilities, and findings from field experiments. Increased physical knowledge and technological advances have allowed prediction strategies to evolve from mostly empirically based methods, to those increasingly fo­cused on explicit handling of deep convection in high resolution, non-hydrostatic models, and output from ensemble fore­casting systems. For very short-term forecasts (3 hours or less), high resolution radar and satellite imagery, surface mesonetworks, and improved data assimilation have similarly led to prediction upgrades through enhanced diagnostic capabilities, in addition to better conceptual understanding of storm processes.

These improvements have served to increase expectations and, as such, a variety of challenges will continue to confront those with convective forecasting responsibility in the years ahead. These include improved prediction of convective ini­tiation, convective mode, elevated convection, and storm behavior in low (high) CAPE/high (low) vertical shear environ­ments. Likewise, increased emphasis will likely be placed upon lightning as a hazard in and of itself, and expanding the envelop of convective storm predictability into the medium and long range.

The presenter draws upon personal experiences as an Assistant Mesoscale Forecaster at the Storm Prediction Center and as a warning forecaster at the WFO Burlington, VT, to provide perspective on the evolution of severe weather forecasting approaches. Interestingly, despite the many step-wise advances described above, the process remains a distinct mix of “art and science”, with intangibles such as pattern recognition and forecaster experience often filling in important gaps and serving as a “reality check” against NWP guidance in arriving at the best forecast.

Well, Kate Danna from WeatherData and Dave Dombeck from AccuWeather will be on campus to provide an overview of the companies they work for.

Kate and Dave will discuss the missions and career opportunities within WeatherData and AccuWeather. They will also provide advice on how to best prepare for career opportunities within the private sector.

When: Tuesday, April 15

Where: Burke Mountain Room

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Free Pizza and Soda will be provided!

The Broadcast Education Association is the “professional association for professors, industry professionals and graduate students interested in teaching and research related to electronic media and multimedia enterprises.” The BEA will present its Festival of Media Arts awards during its convention in Las Vegas in April.

This talk has been canceled due to weather. It will be rescheduled later in the semester

These improvements have served to increase expectations and, as such, a variety of challenges will continue to confront those with convective forecasting responsibility in the years ahead. These include improved prediction of convective initiation, convective mode, elevated convection, and storm behavior in low (high) CAPE/high (low) vertical shear environments. Likewise, increased emphasis will likely be placed upon lightning as a hazard in and of itself, and expanding the envelop of convective storm predictability into the medium and long range.

The presenter draws upon personal experiences as an Assistant Mesoscale Forecaster at the Storm Prediction Center and as a warning forecaster at the WFO Burlington, VT, to provide perspective on the evolution of severe weather forecasting approaches. Interestingly, despite the many step-wise advances described above, the process remains a distinct mix of "art and scienceâ", with intangibles such as pattern recognition and forecaster experience often filling in important gaps and serving as a "reality check" against NWP g uidance in arriving at the best forecast.

A slide show documenting the trip can be found at: http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/ppt/trip_overview_neworleans.ppt (Power Point format).

Lyndon State College, located in Vermont’s beautiful Northeast Kingdom, enrolls approximately 1,400 undergraduates and employs 60 full-time faculty. Our mission is to prepare every student for personal and professional success through experience-based, high-quality programs in the liberal arts and professional studies.

The successful candidate for the position below will demonstrate college teaching effectiveness, promise of scholarly activity, and ability to work harmoniously with colleagues, within and across departments, and will contribute to program development and assessment.

POSITION: Full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor

RESPONSIBILITIES: Primary responsibilities: teaching undergraduate Atmospheric Dynamics sequence and related elective courses, developing elective courses in area of expertise, engaging students in research activities. The ability to teach in one or more of the following areas is desirable: climate-dynamics, numerical weather prediction, tropical meteorology, physical oceanography, or hydro-meteorology.

QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, or related area, experience with major meteorological software packages and relevant computer languages, and teaching using technology.

Commitment to college teaching excellence, scholarship and professional development, and community and collegial service are required. A full description can be found at: www.lyndonstate.edu. The department website can be found at: apollo.lsc.vsc.edu.

SALARY RANGE: Low $30,000 to low $40,000 based on qualifications and experience as defined by VSC-VSCFF Agreement; generous benefits package.

STARTING DATE: August 2008

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Submit a mandatory LSC application for employment (available on the LSC website at www.lyndonstate.edu/employment under the “Forms & Publications” heading) with a cover letter addressing qualifications/responsibilities and curriculum vitae including names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three references to: METEOROLOGY Search Committee Chair, c/o Dr. John Kascenska, Associate Academic Dean, Lyndon State College, PO Box 919, Lyndonville, VT 05851.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.

Candidates must be willing to submit to a fingerprinted-supported, criminal background check; any offer of employment is contingent upon the satisfactory results of this check.

Lyndon State College is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual because of race, color, religion, ancestry, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age or veteran status, or against a qualified individual with a disability, or any other person whose status is protected under local, state or federal laws.

11/12/07

In this year’s contest, LSC is currently ranked second as a team in the nation after three of the ten cities have been forecast, and students have come in first place overall for two of the first-round cities. Brandon Wholey of Gig Harbor, Wash., won for Cape Hatteras, N.C., and Richard J. Maliawco, Jr., of Everett, Mass., won for Portland, Me. Sixty-four schools and 1,324 individuals are competing this year.

Professor Shafer, who competes in the faculty portion of the contest, says that the WxChallenge is great practice for the students. “Forecasting is an important skill for all meteorology students, whether they plan a career as forecasters, researchers or in some other meteorology field,” he said. “In this contest, they learn a lot from what they get right and even more from their mistakes.”

WxChallenge contestants forecast the maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation and maximum wind speeds for select U.S. cities over a ten-week period each semester. Undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. students as well as higher education faculty and staff are eligible to compete. The final city, Dodge City, Kan., is scheduled for April 25, 2008.

A selection of short, affordable online seminars to refresh and update meteorology knowledge in preparation for the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) exam.

The Department of Meteorology at Lyndon State College (LSC) offers online seminars designed to enhance the effectiveness of on-air weathercasters as the public’s major liaison with weather and environmental events. These seminars provide a flexible yet structured review of topics covered in the AMS’s CBM certification examination.

Broadcasters will find these online seminars appealing as an aid to:

• refresh or expand their knowledge in preparation for the AMS’s CBM exam
• engage in professional development in a supportive environment
• expand their practical knowledge in the Earth Sciences

The seminars organize, guide, and enhance study of COMET modules and other online CBM resources. They include online support from experienced educators and from fellow weathercasters who are only a click away with helpful comments, discussions, and insights!

The seven affordable, fully online, one-month seminars provide registered students with access to:

• content review in meteorology fundamentals and applications
• content knowledge in other geosciences and natural phenomena
• online support from professors in the LSC Meteorology Department for questions, discussions, and expanded insights on the material
• helpful notes and tutorials on the seminar website
• weekly (optional) online exercises, assignments, and quizzes to reinforce and test exam readiness
• participation in online discussion boards and weather blogs with other broadcast meteorologists taking the seminar

Three options for registration:

• Guided Review (GR) – Review topic content at your own style and pace, plus access to all course features and support, including guidance from a LSC Met professor and online discussions
• Certificate of Completion (CC) - All GR features, also requires successful completion of periodic quizzes and may be presented for partial satisfaction of the continued professional development requirement for CBM renewal (subject to AMS approval)
• One LSC undergraduate college credit in meteorology (CR) - All GR and CC features, also requires successful completion of final exam and credit may be presented for transfer to colleges and universities (subject to receiving institution approval).

Online Seminars for Broadcast Meteorologists

Seminar Descriptions

Section B. Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics - This seminar covers basic principles in atmospheric thermodynamics, cloud physics, and dynamic meteorology. Atmospheric composition, physical cycles in the atmosphere, radiative processes, cloud and precipitation formation will be reviewed. Emphasis will be placed on using Skew-T diagrams and other data sources to analyze and identify physical and dynamic processes.

Section C. Mid-latitude Weather Systems - Weather in the mid-latitudes is affected by the dynamics and interactions of planetary, synoptic, and mesoscale systems. Topics reviewed will include polar and subtropical jets, midlatitude cyclones, mesoscale convective systems, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. The seminar will include informal online current weather discussion and analysis with emphasis on examples that illustrate the weather systems discussed in COMET modules.

Section D. Numerical Weather Prediction - This seminar will review the fundamentals of numerical weather model physics and dynamics. The use of standard operational models, local meso-scale models, and ensemble model forecasts will be examined. We will monitor operational model performance during the four week duration of the course and attempt to asses the reliability of forecasts that use model output.

Section E. Seasonal and Regional Weather - In this seminar, students will review the dynamics, physics and forecasting challenges associated with local geography such as mountains, coastlines, and large bodies of water. Seasonal weather structures and conditions such as temperature extremes, winter weather, monsoon flow, and hurricanes will also be reviewed. We will apply principles reviewed in online notes and online learning modules in discussions of current weather condition at various locations in the United States.

Section F. Weather Hazards and Safety - Broadcast meteorologists are on the front line in communicating critical information concerning public safety during severe weather events. This seminar stresses the impacts of extreme weather on humans, emphasizing how to anticipate weather conditions that pose a threat to the viewing public. Topics will include general safety measures associated with floods, high winds, extreme temperatures, and storm surges. Section G. Station Scientist - Broadcast meteorologists are often the only trained scientists on staff at a television station and the only people qualified to explain natural phenomena that make the news. This seminar will review and introduce topics in Earth and environmental sciences relevant to the broadcast meteorologist’s role of Station Scientist. Topics include earthquakes, astronomy, space weather, global climate change, and air and water pollution.

See http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met4071 for further information on these seminars.

Interested individuals may register for these courses using this form.

Specifically, for an LSC Met major who has research selected by the American Meteorological Society for presentation at their Annual Meeting, these funds will be used to assist the student with defraying the high costs associated with attending the meeting.

Information about this endowment can be found on our scholarships page. Donations to this endowment may be made on-line on the LSC Alumni web site or by printing out and mailing this form.

Vermont Campus Compact (VCC), a statewide consortium of colleges and universities strengthening the civic mission of higher education, each year honors students, faculty and staff, and community agencies with whom they partner for their contributions and impact on Vermont communities through campus service, service-learning and/or civic engagement. All winners and finalists will be honored at *the VCC Gala on Thursday, March 29, at the Vermont State House in Montpelier, beginning with the Awards Ceremony at 3:15.* Marc vanderHeyden, Saint Michael’s College President and VCC Chair, will preside, and TD Banknorth President Phil Daniels will be on hand to present the Commitment to Service and Engagement Awards. Governor Jim Douglas will present a special award to be announced at the Gala. A reception, best practices showcase, displays, student presentations, multimedia show and more will follow the awards at 4:00 pm. The law firm Disne, Knapp & McAndrew is also a major Gala sponsor.

A senior at Lyndon State College, James has been a leading presence of the College’s American Metrological Society Club and has done an outstanding job over the past four years helping to organize community science fairs that educate local teachers on how to better teach science to their students. He has also been instrumental in organizing the Northeast Storm Conference, bringing academic and business leaders together with students. This conference is one of the reasons this club was recognized last year by AMS as the best club in the nation, the only club ever to have received this distinction three times.**

The Comfort Inn and Suites was named Lyndon State College’s 2007 winner of the Engaged Partner Award. This award is given to one community partner per VCC member that has worked with an institution to develop and sustain a lasting partnership. Lyndon State College recognizes The Comfort Inn and Suites, St. Johnsbury, for its significant role in attracting talented performers and intellectuals to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Each year the Comfort Inn contributes 60 night stays to the College so that it can host artists and lecturers from around the region and nation. Thanks to their generous commitment, Lyndon State College is able to serve as the intellectual and cultural center of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.

A list of award winners and finalists and descriptions of their accomplishments will be available the day of the Gala.

For more information regarding the VCC Gala, contact Amy Gibans McGlashan, VCC Executive Director at (802) 443-2510 or agibansm@middlebury.edu.

Vermont Campus Compact is a statewide consortium of 22 college and university presidents and their institutions committed to creating a flourishing democracy. VCC presidents believe that through sustained and creative student, faculty and institutional engagement with communities, higher education can help prepare tomorrow's civic leaders while strengthening Vermont communities and improving the lives of Vermonters. VCC facilitates individual, institutional and community growth by connecting people and ideas and action.

For those who attended the conference we have an On-line evaluation form available. Your input will be used in efforts to improve the conference for next year.

The Broadcast Education Association named meteorology major Sean Parker of North Easton, Mass., first-place winner in their most recent national competition in the Television Weathercast division. Parker was one of 242 entrants and came in first ahead of competitors from Penn State and St. Cloud State. He is the second LSC student to take this honor in the four years of the young contest.

http://www.beafestival.org/

LSC-TV News 7 Summer Institute

Application and information: http://www.lsc.vsc.edu/news7/SumInst.html

More information about the conference can be found at the LSC AMS/NWA web site. You may register using our on-line form.

Dr. Jason Shafer received a $2000 grant from the LSC Board of Visitors to begin research on mountain precipitation in the Northeast US. This research will explore a topic that has seen little attention across the north country - how the complex terrain affects winter precipitation. Specifically, the research will set out to answer how, to what extent, and under what conditions the complex terrain of northern NY, VT, and NH affects cold season precipitation development and distribution.

The ultimate goal of Dr. Shafer's research is to improve precipitation forecasting in the complex terrain of the Northeast. Students will also benefit from this research since Dr. Shafer will develop course work that will directly engage students in the research process.

Dr. Richter-Menge's presentation focuses on the effects of climate change, including arctic sea ice, polar bear migration, and how changes in the artic impact the rest of the world.

This talk is sponsored by the LSC Institute of Applied Meteorolog (LIAM), the Fairbanks Museum, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), and the Sierra Club.

Dr. Richter-Menge will also be giving a similar presentation at the Fairbanks museum later that evening. More information can be found at the Fairbanks Museum website.

This is the third year Jim has taught this class as a way of sharing his talents and giving back to Lyndon. As a result of his visits, two new meteorology scholarships in his name have come to fruition.

Jim is one of the most recognizable TV meteorologists in the country. Jim's reputation has grown from his passionate, enthusiastic, and dramatic communication of weather at The Weather Channel.

Tickets will be on sale in the dining hall for lunch and dinner through November 9 and on lunch November 10 for $4 each. They will be on sale at the door for $5/each. There will be singing, dancing, comedy, and more! There will also be a raffle prize for one lucky member of the audience. Raffle tickets will be given out at the door. For more information contact Richard Maliawco or Eric Guillot.

$1 for 1 Photo
$2 for 3 Photos

Please stop by the AMS office on 4th Floor Vail to pick up a form and submit to Jim Politis (LSC Box 7247) or Ryan Low (LSC Box 7373) by January 31st. Photos can be emailed as jpeg attachments to ams@apollo.lsc.vsc.edu.

Questions? Contact Jim Politis ext. 1727 or Ryan Low ext. 6533

From the AMS announcement:

2004-2005 AMS Student Chapter of the Year is awarded to the Lyndon State College Chapter "for their incredibly hard work in bringing about the 30th Northeastern Storm Conference, for sponsoring a variety of other scientific talks which connect students with outstanding nationally-known speakers, for sponsoring innovative social events which have done much to create a significant meteorological learning community at the college and for the positive impact on the local community by providing a variety of educational events, all of which reflect positively on our Society."

The home page for The American Meteorological Society is http://www.ametsoc.org/.

You can listen to Dr. Shafer's portion of the interview here (mp3 format). Podcasts of the complete show are available at VPR's VT Edition Website.

Dr. Wintels will continue his involvement in the department teaching several courses as an adjunct professor including our on-line meteorology course and teaching the Weather Producer system to students in the Broadcast Meteorology track.

Also, for those who attended, there is an on-line evaluation form that you can fill out. This will help us improve the conference for next year. Please fill this out only if you did NOT already provided an evaluation at the conference.

Over the years, Cantore has maintained his connection to his alma mater and has chosen this unique way to give back to the college. On the weekend of November 12 to 14, he will teach a one-credit course to a select group of seven meteorology broadcasting upperclassmen and women, demonstrating on a one-to-one basis best-practices for reporting the weather over the television medium.

Cantore set up the class, “Television Weather-casting,” with the help of LSC Meteorology Department chair Bruce Berryman, who explains that this is the first of a series of courses that Cantore will offer at LSC over the next four years.

“I am thrilled that we can offer this course to our students,” Berryman said. “Since the students grew up watching Jim on The Weather Channel, you could say he was their first meteorology instructor. His return to offer this course not only shows his appreciation for LSC but also his commitment to helping the next generation prepare for success in meteorology broadcasting. Certainly, Jim’s class will be a valuable and memorable part of our students’ LSC experience.”

During his presentation on November 12, Cantore will talk about his years at The Weather Channel, his experiences chasing storms and what he has learned about television and weather-casting. He will also screen video highlights of his work.

The first session of the course, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. in the theater classroom, is free and open to all. The theater classroom is located above the Alexander Twilight Theatre.

We have also rearranged the navigational menus a little to accomodate additional items. The Photo Archive and the educational links have been moved to the new "Resources" menu and the Local Forecast page has been moved to the "Local Weather" menu.

Contributions to the archive are welcome and may be emailed as an attachment to metadmin@apollo.lsc.vsc.edu. Please be sure that photos are contributed with the approval of the copyright holder. A brief description of the photo including time and place information would be appreciated as well. Proper credits will be given for all posted photos.

The errors with the submission link are now fixed.