Weather and climate information is an integral component in virtually any form of environmental analysis from the impacts of geological and landform changes to water analysis and sustainable agriculture to construction, engineering, and urban planning. For example, an engineer designing a storm drain must incorporate climate and weather information so that culverts meet local needs in average and extreme weather circumstances without undue cost. Likewise, climate conditions influence the design of irrigation systems that make optimal use of water resources or of architecture that retains heat in cold climates or cool air in warm climates. Atmospheric science is a fundamental tool in the geoscientist’s arsenal.

For the final assessment in this course, you will apply your knowledge of how atmospheric processes create weather and climate by imagining you are an intern for the National Weather Service. The chief meteorologist has asked you to prepare a general weather presentation for an honors science class at a local high school. The teacher for the class has requested that the presentation include an overview of how the atmosphere operates from a meteorologist’s perspective, including origin, composition, energy, wind, circulation, precipitation, and storms, and conclude with a basic weather forecast for their area based on weather charts and maps. (Weather charts and maps for creating the forecast will be provided as part of the assessment.) To keep your audience engaged, you will need to ensure that the presentation flows smoothly and include pictures, graphs, animations, or other visual elements appropriate to your audience.

The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, and Six. The final product will be submitted in Module Eight.