Description

Thunderstorms can quickly spoil an outing in many ways—strong winds, large waves, dangerous lightning, waterspouts, or visibility-limiting rain. This four-hour clinic will examine the various types of thunderstorms and the ingredients that lead to their formation. The clinic will cover why thunderstorms often ‘pop-up’ late on summer afternoons and why some storms have short life-spans while others persist for several hours. The clinic will also introduce the many readily-available resources for forecasting and monitoring thunderstorms.

You will learn the following at the webinar series:

• A few basic weather principles.
• How to decode the confusing symbols, color shading, and meteorological shorthand on weather forecast maps.
• How to recognize the large and small-scale weather patterns that promote thunderstorm development.
• The ingredients needed for thunderstorm development and their life-cycle.
• How to forecast the potential and nature of severe weather.
• The dynamics of lightning and a review of the latest advice on lightning protection for your boat.
• How to use Doppler Weather Radar to assess the development, monitor the evolution, and track the movement of thunderstorms.
• The terminology used by the National Weather Service during hazardous and severe weather events.

The four-hour live webinar series combines classroom instruction, case studies, and exercises to create an engaging learning experience.

 

Please send questions regarding the seminar to Mark Thornton at Mark@LakeErieWX.com. Please click here to view the speaker's biography.

About The Presenter

Mark Thornton has been sailing for more than 25 years and currently owns Osprey, a C&C 35. His interest in weather forecasting grew from his experiences cruising and racing on the Great Lakes. Mark is a 2006 graduate of the Penn State University Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting, a two-year program that develops skills in general, tropical, and severe weather forecasting.

He is the president of LakeErieWX LLC, a company dedicated to providing marine weather education and forecasting resources for recreational boaters (www.lakeeriewx.com). Mark publishes a marine weather blog and teaches basic forecasting seminars to recreational boaters during the off-season. He has served as the Race Meteorologist for the Bayview Mackinac Race since 2014. Mark is also employed as a Teaching Assistant in the Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting Program at Penn State University.