A mountain weather workshop will be offered prior to the 2008 AMS Mountain Meteorology conference to provide a unique learning opportunity for faculty, forecasters, graduate students, and others interested in mountain meteorology. A major goal of the workshop is to bridge the gap between the research and forecasting communities by providing a forum for extended discussion and joint education. The workshop will consist of lectures given by distinguished speakers, several group discussion opportunities, and will conclude with a day of laboratory exercises.
The field of mountain meteorology has evolved greatly in the last two decades since the last similar workshop was held. The workshop will provide participants with a broad understanding of the fundamental principles driving flow over complex terrain and provide historical context for recent developments and future direction for researchers and forecasters. For academic researchers, the workshop will provide a unique opportunity to engage with the forecasting community, which will lead to a better understanding of the technical needs of today's forecasters, including learning about outstanding questions and needed research, and gaining awareness of current practical limitations of theoretical and numerical models. For the forecasting community, the workshop will provide training on fundamentals of flows specific to mountainous regions which are notoriously difficult to predict, understanding of current research challenges, and an opportunity to learn about the latest contributions and advancements to the field.
About 12 lectures with extensive discussion sessions will be given which will provide a comprehensive overview of important and emerging topics in mountain meteorology. Results of the workshop will be disseminated via the publication of a meteorological monograph on mountain meteorology which will be published by the American Meteorological Society (AMS). It is anticipated that the monograph will be used extensively in mountain weather courses at universities and forecast offices and also used as a general reference book for researchers, forecasters, and students.
