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Integrated Sensor Training (IST) Professional Development Series

Unit 9: Using AWIPS in the forecast process

Instructional Component 9.1.4

Lake-Effect Snow I

Dan Bikos and John Weaver

Other Contributors:

Greg Byrd, Tom Niziol, Ed Mahoney, Dick Wagenmaker, Julie Adolphson, Jim Ladue, Jeff Waldstreicher, John Quinlan

1) Introduction

    The material in this session is designed to increase your theoretical understanding of lake-effect snow as well as improve lake-effect snow forecasting skills. The unique characteristics of the eastern and western Great Lakes will be examined with case studies for both regions.

2) Prerequisites

    This is a basic course.

    An understanding of the basics of lake-effect snow is assumed. See references section below (especially by Fenelon and Byrd) to go into more detail of basic concepts. More experienced forecasters of lake-effect snow will find this to be a basic course while inexperienced forecasters of lake-effect snow may find this to be intermediate.

3) Teletraining Installation Instructions


4) Training Session Options:

    A.) The interactive VISITview training session. (To be used with a VISIT instructor leading the session ). Click here to signup for teletraining. The session will last 75 minutes. This teletraining session uses the VISITview software, where Windows PC (with 64 MB RAM or greater) with an Internet connection is needed.

    B.) Web-based training session - a "stand alone" version viewed via a Web browser, with embedded talking points included. This lesson version may be viewed at any time. These slides are ideal for printing from the web-browser, just print preview first to choose portrait or landscape mode. Best viewed with Internet Explorer or Netscape (prior to version 6).

    C.) Web-based Visitview session - This version uses the VISITview software within a Web browser, may be viewed at any time. It retains all the functionality of the VISITview software which you see in a "live" teletraining session. The talking points are not included in this lesson version, but can be viewed in a separate Web browser (or printed out beforehand).

    D.) Web-based video training session

    E.) Audio playback - This VISITview file contains recorded audio and annotations and can be taken at anytime. Certificates of completion for NOAA employees can be obtained through your Science Operation Officer or training point of contact. For detailed information on how to view the recorded session click here.

    You may either request a DVD (with all VISIT audio playback files) OR download the file (see instructions below):

    Create a directory to download the audio playback file (it is about 32 MB in size) from the following site:
    ftp://rammftp.cira.colostate.edu/bikos/audio/les_audio.exe

    After extracting the files into that directory click on the visitauto.bat file to start the lesson.


5) References/Additional Links


6) Train the trainer

    Talking points - these may be used by local offices in tandem with the visitview training session (run in local mode - "visitlocal.bat"). The talking points may be printed out to easily review the session in detail at any time. The web page version contains talking points embedded in each slide (useful for printing).

7) Content developed/updated
    2000
7) Information contact