Howard University Summer Weather Camp: 7/21 - Tuesday Weather Camp Summary

Tuesday’s session keyed on weather map analysis, with campers first drawing a national isotherm analysis. Campers learned interpolation techniques, data checking procedures and how isotherm banding is created on TV, newspaper and Internet weather maps.

Campers were also challenged to find a “bad” temperature observation on a Midwestern regional weather map. Once students saw how to locate such a questionable observation, they began their journey toward becoming “observationalists.”

We also undertook a few demonstrations and activities. Campers spun up hurricanes and tornadoes in large mixing bowls, using food coloring as a tracer. Then we dropped food coloring into a layer of milk within a Pyrex pie plate. The outer edge represented the Equator of a flattened Northern Hemisphere. The center of the pie plate represented the North Pole.

Campers made both straight and curved lines with a pipette and saw how to create the swirls and whirls patterns seen on weather satellite images.

Finally, we used a wind machine (a.k.a. hair dryer) and a baking pan filled with water and clay outlines of the Atlantic basin to showcase the creation of ocean currents.

Campers explored the meteorology behind Chinook (warm downslope) winds, the conceptual model of a supercell thunderstorm (including creating a thunderstorm in bread pan), the wave cyclone model and what atmospheric pressure means. For the latter, we keyed on automobile and bicycle tires.

We also examined global circulation patterns, including polar easterlies, prevailing westerlies and trade wind easterlies.

In the iLab, students explored several of the web sites at the Howard Links page. The Howard links listing is a “work in progress” and reflects links that campers may visit more often then not. The links listing will be available on the web even after camp ends.

Students also began the camp forecast contest today.