National Centers for Environmental Prediction
Weather Prediction Center
International Desks
Training Curriculum



The emphasis of the training program at the International Desks is on the operational use and application of numerical model products. During the training, the visiting fellows will be exposed to a broad spectrum of meteorological products, analysis and forecasting techniques. Operational applications will concentrate on their regional area. The below stated curriculum is not all inclusive, as visits to other work areas in the WWB are part of the training plan. This will include the Ocean Prediction Center, NESDIS Synoptic Analysis Branch and the WPC/Weather Forecast Branch.

  1. South American Desk:

    1. Jet Dynamics

      1. Convergence/Divergence
      2. Ageostrophic Circulation (Direct/Indirect)
      3. Coupled Jets
      4. Conceptual Model vs. Reality
      5. Cyclonic and Anticyclonic Shear
      6. Potential Vorticity

    2. Streamline Analysis at 200 hPa

      1. Bolivian High/Subtropical Ridge
      2. Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough (TUTT)/"Cavado do Nordeste"
      3. Positive/Negative Tilt

    3. Stability/Moisture

      1. KI
      2. SSI
      3. TTI
      4. LI
      5. Convective Instability

    4. Boundary Detection/Identification

      1. Cold Front
      2. Warm Front
      3. Frontal Shearline
      4. Temperature vs. Equivalent Potential Temperature

    5. Analysis of Constant Pressure Charts

      1. 500 hPa: Heights, Vorticity, Advection of Vorticity
      2. 250 hPa: Height, Max Wind, Jet "Labeling"
      3. Mean Sea Level Pressure and 1000-500 hPa Thickness

    6. Operational Application of Isentropic Surfaces

      1. Adiabatic Lifting
      2. Subsidence

    7. Scale Interaction

      1. Meso and Synoptic Scale
      2. Negative vs. Positive Interaction

    8. Diffluence/Confluence vs. Divergence/Convergence

    9. Transport/Advection

      1. Subjective Analysis Techniques
      2. Objective Analysis Techniques
      3. Vorticity and Advection of Vorticity
      4. Temperature and Moisture Advection

    10. PCGRIDDS

      1. Software Installation
      2. Data Ingest (Internet, LAN, STAR4)
      3. Operations and charts generations
      4. Generally used commands
      5. Macros
      6. Customizing/Software Management

    11. Numerical Weather Prediction

      1. Characteristics and Limitations
      2. Comparison between ECMWF, UKMET and MRF/AVN
      3. Analysis and Interpretation
      4. Regional Models and Data Availability

    12. Climatic Control Features and Seasonal Variations.

      1. South Pacific Features
      2. South Atlantic Features
      3. Continental Systems

  2. Saudi Desk:

    1. Jet Dynamics

      1. Convergence/Divergence
      2. Ageostrophic Circulation (Direct/Indirect)
      3. Coupled Jets
      4. Conceptual Model vs. Reality
      5. Cyclonic and Anticyclonic Shear
      6. Potential Vorticity

    2. Streamline Analysis at 500 hPa, 850 hPa, and Boundary Layer

      1. Rationale of Streamlines vs. Height Fields
      2. Locating Significant Features
      3. Positive/Negative Tilt

    3. Stability/Moisture

      1. K-Index
      2. Showalter Stability Index
      3. Total Totals Index
      4. Lifted Index
      5. Convective Instability

    4. Boundary Detection/Identification

      1. Cold Front
      2. Warm Front
      3. Frontal Shearline
      4. Temperature vs. Equivalent Potential Temperature

    5. Analysis of Constant Pressure Charts

      1. 500 hPa: Heights, Vorticity, Advection of Vorticity
      2. 250 hPa: Height, Max Wind, Jet "Labeling"
      3. Mean Sea Level Pressure and 1000-500 hPa Thickness

    6. Operational Application of Isentropic Surfaces

      1. Adiabatic Lifting
      2. Subsidence

    7. Scale Interaction

      1. Mesoscale and Synoptic Scale
      2. Negative vs. Positive Interaction

    8. Diffluence/Confluence vs. Divergence/Convergence

    9. Transport/Advection

      1. Subjective Analysis Techniques
      2. Objective Analysis Techniques
      3. Vorticity and Advection of Vorticity
      4. Temperature and Moisture Advection

    10. PCGRIDDS

      1. Software Installation
      2. Data Ingest (Internet, LAN)
      3. Operations and charts generations
      4. Generally used commands
      5. Macros
      6. Customizing/Software Management

    11. Numerical Weather Prediction

      1. Characteristics and Limitations
      2. Comparison between ECMWF, UKMET, Saudi Eta, Navy NOGAPS and MRF/AVN
      3. Analysis and Interpretation
      4. Regional Models and Data Availability

    12. Climatic Control Features and Seasonal Variations.

      1. Indian Ocean Features
      2. Siberian High and Asiatic Low
      3. Continental Systems

    13. METPRO & NAWIPS

      1. Using automation to enhance analysis techniques
      2. Producing products for distribution using automated techniques
      3. Initializing computer models

  3. Tropical Desk:

    1. Jet Dynamics

      1. Convergence/Divergence
      2. Ageostrophic Circulation (Direct/Indirect)
      3. Coupled Jets
      4. Conceptual Model vs. Reality
      5. Cyclonic and Anticyclonic Shear
      6. Potential Vorticity

    2. Streamline Analysis at 250, 500, 700 (seasonal) and 850 hPa

      1. Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough (TUTT)
      2. Bermuda High/Subtropical Ridge
      3. Positive/Negative Tilt
      4. ITCZ/Equatorial Trough Anchoring Lows
      5. Cross Equatorial Mid/Upper Level Flow

    3. Stability/Moisture

      1. KI
      2. SSI
      3. TTI
      4. LI
      5. Convective Instability

    4. Boundary Detection/Identification

      1. Cold Front
      2. Warm Front
      3. Frontal Shearline
      4. Temperature vs. Equivalent Potential Temperature

    5. Tropical Waves

      1. Vertical Extent
      2. Positive/Negative Tilt
      3. Convergence/Divergence

    6. Tropical Cyclone

      1. Spurious Cyclones
      2. True Cyclones
      3. Bogus Data Assimilation

    7. Scale Interaction

      1. Meso and Synoptic Scale
      2. Negative vs. Positive Interaction

    8. Diffluence/Confluence vs. Divergence/Convergence

    9. Transport/Advection

      1. Subjective Analysis Techniques
      2. Objective Analysis Techniques
      3. Vorticity and Advection of Vorticity
      4. Temperature and Moisture Advection

    10. Operational Application of Isentropic Surfaces

      1. Adiabatic Lifting
      2. Subsidence

    11. Shallow vs. Deep Convection

    12. PCGRIDDS

      1. Software Installation
      2. Data Ingest (Internet, LAN, STAR4)
      3. Operations and charts generations
      4. Generally used commands
      5. Macros
      6. Customizing/Software Management

    13. Numerical Weather Prediction

      1. Characteristics and Limitations
      2. Comparison between ECMWF, UKMET, ETA, NGM and MRF/AVN
      3. Analysis and Interpretation
      4. Regional Models and Data Availability

    14. Climatic Control Features and Seasonal Variations.

      1. Highs/Lows and Ridges/Troughs
      2. Mean Synoptic Flow
      3. ITCZ/Equatorial Trough


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NCEP/WPC/DTB / Last Modified April 25, 1999