Colorado State University Offers Weather Workshop for Teachers, Residents of Northeast Colorado
Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science is teaming up with GLOBE, a worldwide federally sponsored hands-on school-based science and education program, the Northeast Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services, or NE BOCES, and the National Weather Service to offer classes in meteorology for teachers and residents of northeast Colorado.
NE BOCES will be hosting the series of three sessions at their classroom facilities in Haxtun, Colo. Dates, times and class topics follow.
– Session One: Weather Measurements and CoCo RaHS Training. This class will focus on climate features of the Central Great Plains as well as how professionals and amateurs can measure and track weather conditions.
Jan. 22, 2004, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
– Session Two: Weather Patterns, Processes and Analysis. This session will cover weather analysis, weather maps and weather forecasting. This class also includes how to access and view current and forecast weather conditions on the Web.
March 2, 2004, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
– Session Three: Cloud Identification and Interpretation. This class will focus on understanding the classification and identification of clouds, and what they tell us about the atmosphere.
April 21, 2004, 9 a.m. – 3p.m.
Each class will include daily weather briefings to evaluate current weather conditions and discuss causes of weather changes.
Participants will learn about basic scientific principals and factors that control weather and climate over the Central Great Plains, why weather changes are so dramatic and severe in the region and why the area often experiences drought. Participants will additionally be provided basic knowledge and skills to better interpret weather changes from cloud, wind and pressure changes. All class registrants will work closely with a team of meteorologists and have opportunities to ask questions.
"I have talked to a lot of people about weather and climate in my 26 years as Assistant State Climatologist at Colorado State, but I have never done a program like this," said Nolan Doesken, research climatologist at Colorado State’s Colorado Climate Center and director of the Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study, or CoCo RaHS, program. "It should be a lot of fun to work together with students, teachers and local residents. It is uncommon to offer classes for such a diverse group, but weather and climate are very important parts of life in this part of the country and it affects all of us."
Space for classes is limited; first priority goes to teachers currently teaching at schools throughout northeast Colorado. Teachers can receive college credit for attending all three classes. High school students with an interest in learning more about meteorology from professionals familiar with the Great Plains are also encouraged to participate. All citizens, regardless of age or previous education, are also welcome to attend the classes if space is available. A set of three additional classes is planned for the fall if there is sufficient interest.
Registration fee for the series of three weather classes is $35 and includes lunch.
For more information, visit the CoCo RaHS Web site calendar at www.cocorahs.com/news/actschedule.htm. Teachers in the NE BOCES region should register by contacting Correne Sanger at (970) 774-6152. Everyone else should register by contacting Bonnie Brzezinski at (970) 491-1196 or via e-mail at bonnie@cccmail.atmos.colostate.edu
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