7/20 - Monday Weather Camp Summary

The first full day at Weather Camp opened with a presentation by Ron Gird (NWS) about National Weather Service operations and severe storms. It was followed by a climatology talk from Andy Horvitz. Andy keyed on the local Washington, DC observer network, which is likely the most dense of any place in the U.S. (and possibly the world). Campers saw, through vivid examples, just how variable weather elements can be. The urban heat island jumped off the temperature analysis maps. Rainfall variations, on the scale of a few miles or less, were also easy to spot.

Campers also got to randomly choose their camp research projects. Results of their research will be shared in a session between 1pm and 3pm on July 31. Parents, Howard faculty and graduate students, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration staff and speakers are invited to attend.

Campers next each plotted a separate climograph (data plots showing temperature and precipitation monthly averages) for a selected U.S. city. Working within their teams that day, campers had to use their information about U.S. geography to determine their climograph city. Most campers either correctly identified the city or the geographical region correctly!

Campers also visited the ILab, a modern computer lab site on the Howard campus. Mike Mogil took campers on a tour of various weather sites through links posted at a specially created links page. Campers were then allowed to explore other links sites.

Finally, using various links, campers were shown how to view data, charts, forecast models, satellite imagery and more in diagnosing weather patterns and creating forecasts. Real-time satellite imagery showing a disturbed area of weather near Puerto Rico allowed us to discuss thunderstorm outflow boundaries and what these mean to potential tropical storm development.

We then created a consensus forecast for Monday night's low temperature and expected rainfall amounts and a similar forecast for high temperature and rainfall on Tuesday (for Washington DC airport - DCA).

We also talked about times zones and how meteorologists used a standard time zone (Greenwich, England) to ensure that observations could be matched more easily.

After dinner, campers viewed "The Day After Tomorrow" and critically analyzed it for errors and misrepresentations of science.

We started out with some projector problems.



So, our first speaker had to present in "fireside chat" format.



Using "whatever" was available to demonstrate a physical concept.



"Look, mom...the food really isn't so bad after all!"



Getting student IDs.



Andy Horvitz helps students understand climatology.




Making climographs.



Making more climographs.



Welcome to the ILab!



Intense!



Focused on the Web!



The "GROUP," except for the Camp Director (i.e., photographer).