Numerical Weather Prediction
| Title | Αριθμητική Πρόγνωση Καιρού / Numerical Weather Prediction |
| Code | NGMCM202Y |
| Faculty | Sciences |
| School | Geology |
| Cycle / Level | 2nd / Postgraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600025534 |
Programme of Study: PMS METEŌROLOGIA, KLIMATOLOGIA KAI ATMOSFAIRIKO PERIVALLON 2024-2029
Registered students: 11
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Compulsory Course | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Spring |
| Faculty Instructors |
|
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600281681
|
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
- Distance learning
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600281681
- eLearning: https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=16669
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1) understand the usefulness and the operation of a numerical weather prediction model.
2) understand and apply the numerical weather prediction methodologies.
3) produce weather forecasts.
4) design the appropriate numerical experiments/simulations for weather forecast/analysis.
5) write computer programs for representing the trasport of atmospheric waves / disturbances by applying appropriate numerical methods.
6) understand and identify the errors of numerical weather prediction models and know the methods of dealing with them.
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Be critical and self-critical
Course Content (Syllabus)
Introduction: general characteristics of atmospheric numerical weather prediction models, historical aspects, applications.
Equations: The primitive equations, prognostic and diagnostic equations, hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic numerical weather prediction models.
Numerical Methods: Round off and truncation errors, finite difference schemes, linear advection equation, diffusion equation, non-linear advection equation, stability, aliasing and non-linear instability, spectral methods, time differencing.
Grids: The grid point, horizontal differencing, staggered grids of Arakawa, Gaussian grids, boundary conditions, choice of the model domain, nesting, vertical coordinates, boundary conditions over land/sea surface (land/sea mask, topography, land use).
Physical parameterizations: Surface energy balance, soil schemes, surface moisture and heat fluxes, viscous sublayer, microphysical schemes, convection schemes, treatment of snow.
Ensemble Forecasting: the gridded analysis, operational numerical weather prediction, data assimilation, forecast errors, ensemble foreacasting methods, singular vectors, available forecast products.
Analysis of the latest available numerical weather forecasts.
Keywords
Numerical weather prediction, meteorological numerical models, model stability, grids, physical parameterizations, model errors, ensemble weather forecasting
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Bibliography
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
- Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Description
1) Powerpoint is used in all the lectures and all class material is available in electronic form to all students through the course web page (elearning).
2) Use of computer and programming language (e.g. Fortran) is required to solve homework.
3) The teacher communicates with students through email, elearning & Zoom.
4) The class evaluation is performed through the Quality Assurance Unit (MO.DI.P.)
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 117 | ✓ | |||
| Seminars | 3 | ✓ | |||
| Written assigments | 32 | ✓ | |||
| Exams | 3 | ✓ | |||
| Retrieval, description and interpretation of the latest available numerical weather forecasts. | 55 | ✓ | |||
| Total | 210 |
Student Assessment
Description
1. Written Examination with short or long answer questions and solution of exercises (80%) on topics taught at both theory and exercises.
2. Written essays on numerical methods (20%).
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Assignment (Formative, Summative)
- Oral Exams (Formative, Summative)
- Written Exam with Problem Solving (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Additional bibliography for study
- “Mesoscale Meteorological Modeling”. Roger Pielke Sr.
- “Numerical Prediction and Dynamic Meteorology”. G.Haltiner and R.T.Williams
- “Numerical Recipes in Fortran. The Art of Scientific Computing”. W.H.Press, S.A.Teukolsky, W.T.Vetterling, B.P.Flannery
- “An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology”. J.R.Holton
- “Dynamical meteorology. An introductory selection”. B.W.Atkinson. Chapter 14 "Numerical modelling of the atmosphere". A.J. Gadd
- "Εισαγωγή στη φυσική της ατμόσφαιρας και την κλιματική αλλαγή". Π. Κατσαφάδος, Η. Μαυροματίδης
Κεφάλαιο 6: ΑΡΙΘΜΗΤΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΓΝΩΣΗ ΚΑΙΡΟΥ
- "A Description of the Advanced Research WRF Model Version 4". Skamarock et al.
https://www2.mmm.ucar.edu/wrf/users/docs/technote/v4_technote.pdf
User’s Guides for the
Advanced Research WRF (ARW) Modeling System, Version 4
https://www2.mmm.ucar.edu/wrf/users/docs/user_guide_v4/contents.html
- Υλικό από το διαδίκτυο (ιστοσελίδες με εκπαιδευτικό υλικό, μετεωρολογικές παρατηρήσεις, χάρτες καιρού και προγνώσεις καιρού).
Last Update
22-08-2025
