Weather Forecasting Course

An intensive one-week course in practical weather forecasting gets under way during the week 10-14 March 2014 in the UCD Meteorology & Climate Centre. This course forms part of the post-graduate module in Synoptic Meteorology (ACM 40540).

Gerry Fleming and Evelyn Cusack of Met Éireann are teaching the course, in collaboration with Peter Lynch and Conor Sweeney of the UCD School of Mathematical Sciences.

The course covers the application of dynamical and physical meteorology and numerical weather prediction to the problems of practical weather forecasting. It involves theoretical lectures and practical laboratory sessions.

The course gives students an excellent opportunity to apply their knowledge in a practical context, and to learn first-hand the issues and problems of operational forecasting. They will visit the RTE weather studio and prepare and present forecasts on-screen during the course.

MSc students at RTÉ

Forecast Module 2014 Participants

[Forecasting Week 2014]

Left to right: Evelyn Cusack, Bing Jie Li, Andrew Doran-Sherlock, Elizabeth Moran, David Linke, Peter Lynch, Brian Delaney, Keith Ennis, Conor Sweeney, Sean Townsend, Chrisondra Humphreys

Forecast Module, 2014. Presentations

  1. Refresher: Airmasses, Fronts, Frontal Depressions (PL)
  2. Wind and Rain (CS)
  3. Water Vapour and Potential Vorticity (PL)
  4. Fog and Frost (CS)
  5. Meteosat Second Generation (PL)
  6. Meteosat Second Generation Applications (PL)
  7. Other Forecasting Applications (CS)
  8. Presenting the Weather (GF)
(*) Some slides to print and distribute.

Forecast Module 2014. Timetable



Forecast Module 2012 Participants

[Synop Week 2012]
Left to right: Frances Judge, Rachel O'Byrne, Evelyn Cusack, Kilian Harford, Peter Lynch, Gerald Fleming, Pádhraic O'Hanrahan, John Connaughton, Eadaoin Doddy, Daragh Conway, David Faherty

Forecast Module 2011 Participants


[Synop Week 2011]
Standing: Gerald Fleming, Mark Bowe, Conor Murphy, Peter Lynch, Darren Slevin.
Sitting: Evelyn Cusack, Sarah Gallagher, Sean Penston, David Craig.

Forecast Module 2010 Participants


[Synop Week 2010]
Left to right: Paul Moore, Evelyn Cusack, Peter Lynch, Felim Hanniffy, Patrick Hogan, Therese Carroll, Jennifer Foran, Janet Wagner, Michael Brennan, Emma Moloney, Niall Kavanagh, Wagner Nogueira, Gerard Kilroy, Niamh Burke, Ian Considine.

Forecast Module 2009. Participants and Instructors


[Synop Week 2009]
Left to right: Jim Neary, John Kealy,Claire Williams, Liz Moran, Morgan Geraghty, Susanna Wallis, Alan Hally, Aisling Creevey, Peter Lynch, Dave Rogers, John Hanley, Cian Woods, Edmund Meredith, Conor Purcell, Gerry Fleming [click image for large version].

Forecast Module 2008. Article in SPLANC

Article in the Summer 2008 edition of the Met Éireann staff magazine SPLANC: PDF

Forecast Module 2008. Participants and Instructors



Left to right: Celine Nyhan, Patricia Hamilton, Rodrigo Caballero, Kevin Lim, Dave Rogers, Jonathan McGovern, Peter Lynch, Andy Ryan, Allison Barlow, Aidan Kelly, Sinead Duffy, Gerry Fleming, Sandra Spillane.

Forecast Module 2007. Participants and Instructors


[Synop Week 2007]
Front: Sinead Duffy, Kathryn Howard. Standing: Colm Clancy, Peter Lynch, Gillian Whelan, Angela Wood, Gavin Gallagher, Emily Gleeson, Edward Hayes, Emilia Main, Keith Lambkin, Beanan O'Loughlin,