Air Force Weather School

  -- A consolidated joint forces school house for apprentice weather

Contents of this page
- Billets needing qualified MST's
- How to Apply
- Transferring to weather school
- Curriculum - no downloads

Billets needing qualified MST Weather Briefers / Forecasters

Ashore Aviation

------Air Station Kodiak >> MSTC | MST1 | MST2 | MST2
------International Ice Patrol >> MSTCS

Afloat Aviation

------Healy >> MSTC |
------Polar Sea >> MST1 |
------Polar Star >> Currently inactive status, but will soon be reactivated


How to Apply for a weather billet

      - Contact the MST Rating Force Manager (MSTCM RFM) and ask if a position is coming open. If you are towards the end of a current tour then you could be in luck! If you don't ask, no one will ask you!

What you need to know when transferring to Biloxi, Mississippi for Weather School

     - City of Biloxi, MS information
     - Keesler AFB


Downloadable .ppt's will only be available via CG Central from a .uscg.mil computer

NOTE: Due to the size and my limited bandwidth please got to: >> USCG WSIII –
USCG WSIII – CG Central / Portal access
Coast Guard Weather -- Operational Weather Briefing

https://cgportal.uscg.mil/lotus/myquickr/operational-weather-briefer---forecaster

As per ALCOAST 128/09 SUBJ: CG PORTAL UPDATE, I have placed a majority of the below .PPT on the intranet avaiable to CG members.

I have a site on the CG Portal you will find Welcome | Disussion Forum | Library

>> The library will have three folders

       1) Basic CG Weather

       2) Advanced CG Weather

             - Navy AG AQE's / AF weather School

       3) CG Weather Qualifications

             - A/S Kodiak, IIP, Ice Breakers

Air Force
Consolidated Weather School (Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS)

The first 6 weeks of this school is for joint military services of the U.S. Military services to including the Navy, Marines, USCG, and of course the Air Force. The Air Force supports the Army Tactical Air operations since the "Army and Air Corps" became separate services in 1947. These presentations are in Microsoft Power Point format and are for teaching the rudimentary elements of what make our atmosphere produce weather. The actual "Unique" (forecasting) part of the course there are no presentations that will teach a person how to forecast alone. So I did not acquire those presentations.

When taught at the Keesler school house, the instructors use a lesson plan to teach along with using the below .PPT to visual teach the weather apprentice. In addition, appraisal are given after each chapter to test the students knowledge. At the end of each block (or week) the students take a measurement for the actual GPA.

| Consolidated :: Unique |
This cirriculum is from 2003.


Consolidated
Basic | Intermediate | Meteorological Reports | Satellite | Advanced | Chart Analysis I

Element I
Block I
Basic Meteorology
101a - Clouds and Precipitation Types
101b - Temp and Energy
101c - Your Atmosphere
101d - Pressure
101e - Pressure Systems
101f - Global Circulations
101g - Wind Forces
101h - Cloud Formation
101i - Air Masses
101j - Frontal Systems
101k - Convective Severe Weather
101l - Non-convective Severe Weather
101m - Tropical Weather Systems
101n - Space Weather

Block II
Intermediate Meteorology

201a - Temp and Energy
201b - Atmospheric Composition
201c - Pressure and Temperature Advection
201d - Global Circulation
201e - Wind Formation
201f - Cloud Formation
201g - Distinguish between different Cloud Types
201h - Precipitation Formation
201i - ?
201j - Air Mass Modifications
201k - Properties of Sea Water
201l - Seas and Swells
201m - Relate the Ocean Environment to Meteorology
210n - Identify relationships between regions and their climates

Block III
Meteorological Reports

301a - Definitions
301b - METAR
301c - Land Synoptic
301d - Ship Synoptic
301e -
301f -
301g - Rawinsonde
301h - Skew-T Analysis
METAR Test
Reports Homework
Presentation on Coding
Rawinsonde Code
Skew - T

Block IV
Satellite
Meteorology
401a - Satellite Systems
401b - Non - Cloud features
401c - Cloud Features
401d - Microwave
401e - Meteorological Events
401f - Wind Flow
Appraisal B,C Satellite test
Appraisal E Satellite test

Block V
Advanced
Meteorology
501a - Vorticity
501b - Pressure Systems
501c - Pressure System Intensity Change
501d - Fronts
501e - Wave Cyclone Process
501f - Turbulence
501g - Icing
501h - Severe Convective
501i - Heavy Rain, and Snow

Block VI
Chart Analysis
      - In this class the student is given 6 charts: 300mb, 500mb, 700mb, 850mb, and Surface chart and must analyze for weather features.

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Air Force Unique
Radar | Products | Tropical | Advanced Chart Reanalysis | SLAM | Dynamics | Prognosis | Forecasting I | SLAB | Forecasting Severe WX | Lab Lecture | Air Force Weather Equipment

Element II
Block 7
Radar

701a - Identify facts about radar theory
701b - Identify facts about WSR-88D system concepts
701c - Identify facts about radar products
701d - Identify facts about product interpretation
701f - Given WSR-88D products, describe radar features
- More training pictures can be found in folder: [ AG/information/Keesler AFB WX Unique Training / radar / 701f LP Images ]

Block 8
Weather Products

801d - Using appropriate weather data, select meteorological parameters from numerical weather prediction text products
801e - Using appropriate weather data, select meteorological parameters from mesoscale numerical weather prediction visualization products
801f - Meteograms
801g - Given climatological reference, select appropriate climatological data
801h - TAF's (Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts)
801d - Visual Verification of Models
MM5 - MM5 Examples
VITA - Exercise

Block 9
Tropical

901a - Primary physical controls on tropical circulation
901b - Basic structure of planetary-scale circulation systems within the tropics
901c - Influence of diurnal variation and characteristics of tertiary circulation in the tropics
901d - Principles of kinematics and dynamics in the tropical atmosphere
901e - Perform a streamline analysis

Element III
Block 10
Advanced Chart Reanalysis

Skew - T
Convective Severe
Non-Convective Severe
Thickness
Obj E, F: Reanalysis Upper-Air and Surface Computer Products
        - More training pictures can be found in folder: [ AG / information / Keesler AFB WX Unique Training / advanced analysis/ - Select appropriate folder ]

Block 11
SLAM (Synoptic Level Analytical Meteorology)

1011a - Given centrally-produced weather products and support material, produce and brief a weather analysis package

Block 12
Dynamics
12a - Physics
12b - Advection
12c - Wave-type characteristics in upper-level circulations
12d -Types, properties, and/or characteristics of the wind
12e -The jet stream type, structure, and/or characteristics
12f - Type, cause, and characteristics of vorticity

Block 13
Prognosis

1013a - General principles of vertical consistency evaluation
1013b - General Principles for Upper-air Weather Feature Prognosis
1013c - General Principles for Surface Weather Feature Prognosis
1013d - Identify components of an effective regime forecast process

Block 14
Forecasting Weather Elements

1401a - Forecasting Synoptic Weather Elements
1401b - Forecasting Mesoscale Weather Elements
1401c - Cause, Type, & Characteristics of Flight Weather Hazards
1401d - Relate changes in the atmosphere to forecasted parameters by comparing current and forecast air-mass soundings

Block 15
SLAB (Synoptic Level Analytical Briefings)

     - More training pictures can be found in folder: [AG\information\Keesler AFB XW Unique Training\SLAB]

Block 16
Forecasting Severe Weather

1601a - Forecasting Severe Weather Elements
1601b - Forecasting Non-Convective Weather Elements
1601c - Forecasting Tropical Severe Weather Elements

Block 17
Lab Lecture

1701a - Solar Products
1701b - TAF Code
1701c - TAF Writing
1701d - MSF - Mission Control Forecast
1701e - Weather Advisory
1701f - Weather Watch
1701g - Weather Warning
1701h - Forecast Discussion
1701i - DD-175 (Dash-1)
1701j - Shift Change
1701k - PMSV (pilot-to-metro service)
1701l - PIREP (Pilot Reports)
1701m - Quality Assurance
Lab Lecture binder (Everything a forecaster Needs for briefing as (Forecaster, Synoptician, Pilot Briefer)
Word Doc SOP for Duty Responsibilities in the above mentioned positions

Block 18
Air Force Equipment and Career Field
1801a - Identify facts about the elements and relationships of the weather career field
1801b - Identify facts about the duties of the Airman Weather Career Ladder
1801c - Identify facts about the organizational structure of the DoD/DCS Global Weather Communication System
1801d - Identify facts about the weather tactical communication architecture
1801e - Identify facts about the missions and services provided by Air Force Weather Agencies
1801f - Identify facts about terrestrial weather sensitivities and their impacts on military operations
1801g - Identify facts about brown water/riverine principles
1801h - Identify facts about atmospheric effects on Electro-Optical systems
1801i - Identify facts about meteorological sensors

The End

That's 7 1/2 months of intensive classroom training and LOTS of test! I was unable to get the test (appraisals nor the measurements). I hope the above .PPT provide useful for training those without weather and a refresher for those of us who have been training the art in forecasting weather. Remember Observing is not included in this Air Force section. That is another 3 month school (CWTO course)

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Frozencoastie by Jeff Estes
Jeff@frozencoastie.com