Applied Meteorology Courses and Seminars

e-mail:
phone: +250.877.6991

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Overview

British Columbians spend a large amount of time outdoors and are extremely weather dependent. Few, however, use all resources available to them in order to make decisions. For this reason I have set up a series of courses that will lead you through the world of BC's weather from basic observations to the interpretation of computer weather models.
The courses are aimed at professionals who depend on weather and amateurs who spend a lot of time in the outdoors.

As weather affects different users in different ways, the courses have been divided into marine applications and Mountain Weather applications for people who stay on land. Each course is taught in two independent levels:
Level I presumes no previous weather knowledge and contains weather analysis, publicly available internet resources and proper interpretation of publicly available forecasts from a computer and in the field. Level II presumes basic meteorological and thermodynamic principles. It focuses on detailed weather forecasts and the appropriate interpretation skills.

At the end of the courses, students will

  • have a toolbox of resources to access current weather information (observations, forecasts, discussions etc.)
  • be able to interpret weather and its changes in the outdoors.
  • be able to read and interpret satellite and radar imagery over BC.
  • be able to read professionally prepared weather charts.
  • be able to interpret and tailor those forecasts to a particular spot and application.
  • be able to go through a step by step process that leads to a weather analysis and interpretation of professionally prepared forecasts.

Available Weather Courses and Seminars

  • Aviation Seminars Refresher Courses for Pilots and Dispatchers. (This is a customized course for professional corporations, please contact us for more info at )
  • Winter Operator Seminars: 2 to 4 hours training seminar for heli-skiing and avalanche operators.
  • Applied Mountain Meteorology for Summer Outdoor Enthusiasts and Professionals (for course details, click here)
  • Applied Marine Meteorology for Amateurs and Professionals on the Coast of BC (for course details, click here)
  • Avalanche Meteorology for Winter Outdoor Enthusiasts and Avalanche Professionals (Please contact the Canadian Avalanche Association for more details at ).
  • Customized Courses for Groups (Hiking associations, Sailing Clubs etc.) and Corporations.

Contact

If you are interested in any of the courses, please e-mail me at or call Uwe at +250.877.6991.
To find out more about your teacher, click here.

Comments

  • "Uwe has developed a wonderful visual, theoretical and anecdotal approach to his Mountain Weather course. Having instructed Mountain Weaher with Uwe on numerous occasions I have found his instructional approach to be methodical, detailed and understandable. However, Uwe's greatest gift as a teacher is his enthusiasm. He has "Mountain Weather" coursing through his veins."
     
    Ken Wylie
    Curriculum Development
    Canadian Avalanche Association
    IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations)
    ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides)
     
  • "A pat on the back to Uwe and Ken (Wylie) for their dedication in developing the very best weather training programs available for front-line avalanche workers."
     
    Ian Tomm
    Operations Manager
    Canadian Avalanche Association
     
  • "Good combination of information followed by exercises that use that info."
  • "Excellent teacher and very knowledgeable, well prepared and provided excellent course material. "
  • "Using Laptop and digital files was great."
  • "The topics were great ... and the instructors were awesome."
  • "Lots of enthusiasm ... Very enjoyable course ... good teaching of tools that are very useful to have."
  • "Loved Uwe's enthusiasm and knowledge."
  • "The [live exercise] on the last day was really beneficial. Nothing was of no use."
  • Do you feel the methods of instruction were useful? "Yes, especially the practical bits and using our own computers."

Course Background

The courses are based on an education model that has been developed for the Canadian Avalanche Association with the co-operation of Environment Canada. They are two level weather courses that have been taught with great success in BC in the fall/winter of 2007 and are to become prerequisites for the Avalanche Skills Training courses. According to this experience, the courses start slow and become fairly demanding later on. I am proud of making the courses less about the "Weather Geek" and much more about fun and enthusiasm.
Having said that the educational model is very flexible and every course turns out to be quite different as the teacher adapts the material to the average level of the course as well as the specific interests of the individual students. If you work for a living outside or your work depends on weather, you will find that these courses change your daily routine significantly.