Roger G. Barry

CIRES / Geography, phone (303) 492-5488

E-mail:  rbarry@kryos.colorado.edu

Office Hours: Guggenheim 204: 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. T, Th; RL2 by appointment
LECTURES: T/Th 2.00-3.15 pm. Guggenheim 2

 

Structure:

The course will survey research on altitudinal and topographic effects on weather and climate in mountain areas and discuss mountain climate characteristics (including bioclimatology and climate change) in different climate regions.  A basic weather/climate college background course is required.

 

Grading:

4331:  Midterms I & II  25 % each, Final 50%

5331:  Midterms I & II  20 % each, Final 30%, Paper 30%

 

Text:

R.G. Barry, 1992 Mountain Weather and Climate, (2nd edn. Paperback) Routledge.

 

Library reserve:

Class notes and other readings will be placed on reserve in Earth Science Library on a weekly basis.

 

Dates

Major Topics

14 Jan.

INTRODUCTION:  Scale considerations; physical characteristics of mountains

16 Jan.

CLIMATE OBSERVATIONS:

21 – 30 Jan.

ALTITUDE EFFECTS: Pressure, water vapor, radiation components, temperature, wind.

4 – 13 Feb.

OROGRAPHIC EFFECTS: Airflow-lee waves and larger-scale effects, dynamically-forced winds, thermal wind systems.

18 Feb.

REVIEW

20 Feb.

MID-TERM EXAM I [5331 PROJECT PAPER ABSTRACT DUE]

25 Feb. – 20 Mar.

CLIMATE CHARACTERISTICS: Topo and Micro Climate, Slope and aspect effects, Energy budget and temperature, Cloud regimes, Precipitation, Moisture budget.

 

24 – 28 Mar.

Spring Break

1 – 3 Apr.

BIOCLIMATOLOGY:  (altitude and cold)

8 – 17 Apr.

REGIONAL CASE STUDIES:  Equatorial, tropical, mid- and high-latitudes

22 Apr.

MID TERM EXAM II

24 – 29 Apr.

CLIMATE CHAGE IN MOUNTAIN AREAS:

1 May.

5331 PROJECT REPORT PRESENTATIONS AND REVIEW

7 May  (Wed.)

FINAL EXAM: 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.