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The five-day Climate Variability and Change virtual course is a
training component of the Climate Services Professional Development
Series. The course is designed for NWS WFO and RFC Climate Focal
Points, Science and Operations Officers, Warning Coordination Meteorologists,
Service Coordination Hydrologists and all climate services staff.
The course goal is raising NOAA NWS staff level of understanding
of various climate variability and change topics. The course will
provide more extensive background training in the following areas:
(1) The difference between climate and weather
(2) Statistical techniques used in climate studies, including analyses
of local climatology
(3) Dynamics, physical mechanisms, and impacts of climate variability
phenomena including El Nino / La Nina, Madden Julian Oscillation
(MJO), tropical forcing, and teleconnections
(4) The science behind and limitations of Climate Prediction Center
(CPC) climate prediction products
(5) The physical and feedback mechanisms involved in global climate
change
The objective of this training is to equip the NWS climate staff
with additional scientific knowledge needed for effective local
climate services. This course is complimentary to the Operational
Climate Services course that targets developing operational skills.
Prior to attending the formal portion of the Climate Variability
and Change virtual course, attendees are expected to complete important
prerequisites, including recommended completion of the Operational
Climate Services course.
The Climate Variability and Change virtual course is offered for
about 20 local offices with recommended attendance of multiple participants
per office. The virtual course consists of series of webinars (real-time
online presentations) with additional group and individual activities
such as labs, discussions, breakout sessions, etc. Instructors broadcast
their presentations and assignments from the COMET classroom via
the Internet to participants located off-site. For details please
refer to the course agenda
and logistics.
Expected specific outcomes
Each trainee, upon completion of the training, should be able to: Understand and explain the difference between climate and weather
Define, understand, and explain meaning of local climatology
statistics, and interpret local climatology information to office
staff and customers
Understand principles of statistical techniques used in climate
studies and outlooks
Understand and explain primary physical mechanisms of the following
climate variability phenomena: oscillations (including El Nino /La
Nina, MJO, North Atlantic Oscillation) and teleconnection indices
Understand and explain the impacts on U.S. climate of such features
as drought, flood and monsoons
Understand and explain basics and the mechanisms of interaction
of climate system components such as ocean circulations (e.g. thermo-haline
and gyre circulations), land surface hydrology, and stratospheric
variability.
Understand and explain terminology routinely used in CPC discussions
Explain physical meaning of CPC products and discussions
Explain the importance of several climate variability phenomena
and processes in climate predictions
Identify observed global climate change signals (e.g. CO2, temperature
trends, Arctic sea ice extent, etc.), explain certain physical mechanisms
for global climate change, and articulate the uncertainties associated
with global climate change forecasts and outcomes (e.g. observation
errors and predicted future states of the atmosphere/ocean system)
Course Organizing Team:
NOAA team:
Ingrid Amberger
Deirdre Kann
Jim Noel
Marina Timofeyeva
Kevin Werner
COMET team:
Wendy Abshire
Lon Goldstein
Amy Stevermer
Tim Alberta
Michelle Harrison
Ken Kim
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