1 / 19

METC 490/590 Class Information for 2019

Discover the details of Dr. Dave Call's METC 490/590 course at Ball State University. Dive into storm chasing, field trips, academic benefits, costs, and how to sign up. Join this unique learning opportunity!

myrtlei
Download Presentation

METC 490/590 Class Information for 2019

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. METC 490/590Class Information for 2019 Dr. Dave Call /// Ball State University

  2. The Forecast • Please sign in • Presentation on • Who • When • Where • What • Why • and How of METC 490/590

  3. 1. Who • Instructor: Dr. Dave Call • Penn State (Met.) • Syracuse (Geog.) • At BSU since Fall 2007 • Led 15 trips / More than 100,000 mi. • Driver/Asst: Dr. Allen or Hitchens

  4. 2. When • If 16 or more students, we’ll run 2 trips • Classroom portion • Fridays 3-5 PM, in March and April • Field portion • Trip 1: May 9-21 • Trip 2: May 31-June 14 • If fewer than 16 students, we’ll run 1 trip • Classroom May 9, 10, 13, 14; trip afterwards

  5. 3. Where: The Great Plains • On average, • Enter 11 states • Chase in 6 • 448 miles / day (~7,000 / trip) Yellow – been there (23) Orange – chased there (14) Hatched – tornado seen (6)

  6. 4. What: Classroom • Feb/Mar meeting & 8 two-hr. class sessions • Equivalent of about 6 full weeks of class • Topics • Storms and tornadoes • Tools for forecasting: Skew-Ts, Indices, etc. • Storm chasing tips & safety • The Great Plains

  7. What to Expect: Field • A typical chase day • Rise and shine…somewhere. • Along with a few roommates • 8:30 AM: Morning wx meeting • 9:30 AM: Depart or wait • 1:00 PM: Lunch • On a chase day, this will usually be our “major” meal

  8. What to Expect: Field • Afternoon: Chase! • Begin anytime between 2 and 5 PM • Often chase until dark (~9:00 PM) • Dinner: Time unknown. • Likely fast food. Maybe gas station food. • Evening: Drive more • 10:30 PM: Check-in someplace new

  9. What: Wx Briefing • Two groups of two students lead the discussions and chases • One group: Day 1 • Second group: Day 2 and beyond • Group decisions

  10. What: Tasks • You’ll be assigned a daily task • Watching Radar • Navigating • Trip Planning • Spotter • Driving • These tasks will rotate. • Your success = group success!

  11. Non-chase days: We explore! • Sightseeing

  12. 5. Why: Realistic Expectations • Should you expect to see a tornado? • Well, we average two per trip… • …but none in 2009, 2012a, 2012b, 2014, 2016b, 2017, 2018  • Seeing a tornado is like seeing a “grand slam” • Or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfgptokGlgk

  13. Why: Realistic Expectations • Why is it hard to see tornadoes? • Unfavorable weather pattern (67% of trips) • Tornadoes are outside of the Plains (35%) • Tornadoes are at night or rain-wrapped (50%) • Poor road network (50%) • Incorrect forecast (65%) • We pick the “wrong” storm (55%) • Or other reasons…(100%) • Most veteran chasers see tornadoes 5-10% of chase days • This is our success rate, too.

  14. Okay, so what should you expect? • Learn A LOT about weather tools, storm forecasting, and storm dynamics • Amazing scenery • Explore a new region • Meet great people!

  15. Amazing Storm Structure! (Not guaranteed, but almost every trip)

  16. Academic Benefits • Everyone: 6 credits toward graduation • May count towards electives (check with advisor) • METC majors: Counts toward your regional requirement

  17. 6. How: Cost • Trip cost is ~$1,500. Due April 1. • Depends on # of students, transport rates, etc. Our budget hasn’t been approved yet. • Tuition/fees: $110 fee + tuition. Due June 1. • Undergrad: $1824 instate ($3060 non-resident). • Grad students: ~$800, see me for details. • MUST resolve tuition before leaving • Financial aid is available for TUITION AND FEES. Speak with Financial Aid Office in Lucina. • Meals and Incidentals: You pay while on trip. • Budget $20-30/day. $25 x 15 = $375

  18. How to Sign Up • Check your schedule for May and June • Weddings? Graduations? • See how the course fits in your program • Figure out how you’ll pay; financial aid? • Sign up meeting: Fri. Nov. 16, 3:30 PM • Then pay a $500 non-refundable deposit to the Bursar – you’re in! On academic probation? You’ll have to wait until spring semester, sorry.

  19. Questions or More Info • Web: http://drdavecall.com • E-mail: dacall@bsu.edu • Drop by: CL 463E, MW 11:00-12:30 • Ask Allen/Hitchens or past students: • Anyone working in the MetLab (CL 465) • Most meteorology seniors and juniors. • Thanks for your attention! Questions?

More Related