Reading Weather & Field Forecasting

Reading Weather & Field Forecasting: Los Angeles

Time= 2 Days   |   Cost= $395 (includes materials)

Professional guides, rescue groups, outdoor educators, ski patrol personnel, avalanche forecasters, summer camp staff, pilots, backcountry skiers, mountaineers, canyoneers and any other outdoor enthusiast would benefit from learning more about the weather.

—Increase your knowledge; Increase your safety—

This weather course will provide the avid outdoor enthusiast three essential skills:

• Basic understanding of meteorology and how the weather works
• Ability to interpret various weather maps and forecast products for pre-trip planning
• Utilization of field weather forecasting techniques while out on an extended adventure

This course will explain how the atmosphere works, how storms develop, define fronts, jet streams, and high & low pressure, and also how the weather interacts with terrain. Participants will learn how to interpret basic satellite, radar and surface weather maps. Along with learning how weather forecasts are made, participants will learn how to make a better assessment of the current and forecasted weather, prior to launching a trip. Students will then learn how to assess and track the changes in the weather for signs of worsening or improving conditions once in the field. Course will be applicable to variety of climate regions, with a concentration on California, Arizona & Utah.

INSTRUCTOR:  Jim Woodmencey, founder of Mountain Weather.

Jim Woodmencey received a B.S. in Meteorology in 1982 from Montana State University. Jim has formerly worked as a Climbing Ranger in Grand Teton National Park, as a heli-ski guide in Wyoming, and as a meteorologist and avalanche forecaster in Alaska. Jim has been forecasting the weather for Jackson Hole and the Teton Mountain Range for almost 25 years, and is the chief meteorologist at MountainWeather.com headquartered in Jackson, WY. Jim forecasts for expeditions around the world and also teaches a variety of weather courses throughout the year, for both public and military personnel. He is the author of two books: Reading Weather & Weather in the Southwest.