1997 Mid-Atlantic Regional
Hazardous Weather Conference for Educators
Photo Gallery

On Saturday, 1 March 1997, the American Meteorological Society Mid-Atlantic Atmospheric Education Resource Agents (MA-AERAs) from the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia proudly presented the Fourth Annual Hazardous Weather Conference for Educators. Attended by over 200 educators, the conference was generally regarded as a smashing success. Take a virtual tour of the conference to see the fun you missed!

Click on any photograph to see a larger version (640 x 480 pixels) of the picture...

Registration & Opening Plenary Session

The Hazardous Weather Conference makes the Mills E.Godwin High School marquee! Conference Coordinator Jo Ann Mulvany arranges name tags at the registration table.
Science and Mathematics Specialty Center Director Jo Ann Mulvany and Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) Science Coordinator Brenda Baker work behind the scenes to setup for the conference. Our sincere thanks to the support team from HCPS and Godwin High School!
Student volunteers help to set up tables of free hazardous weather related materials. After registering, attendees fill bags of free materials perfect for use in the classroom!
MA-AERA Co-Chairperson Walter Sanford welcomes NWS Director Dr. Joe Friday and his wife, Karen. Ms. Mulvany confers with the parent of a GHSSC student and AMS Project MAURY Peer Trainer Tish McKinstry.
Lamar Brandt, Earth Science Educator, Richmond Mathematics and Science Center, chats with Jo Ann Mulvany and Brenda Baker during the continental breakfast.
Keynote Address - The Lightning Hazard: An Interdisciplinary Topic. Ron Holle, Meteorologist, NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, OK.

Concurrent Sessions I

Session 1.1 - Water Vapor: The Unseen Weather. Walter Sanford, MA-AERA (VA), West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA. Participants discover how a unique kind of weather satellite imagery enables meteorologists to study the role of invisible water vapor in the development of weather systems such as the "Blizzard of '93."
Session 1.2 - Hurricane Module. Bonnie Smith, MA-AERA (DE), Wilmington Christian School, Wilmington, DE, and Bill Krayer, MA-AERA (MD), Gaithersburg High School, Gaithersburg, MD. Bonnie and Bill team up to present the AMS Project ATMOSPHERE teacher-training module, "Hurricanes."
Session 1.3 - Severe Weather Safety in the Classroom. Bill Sammler, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWS Forecast Office, Wakefield, VA. Bill presented an overview of hazardous weather safety in schools, and distributed handouts describing the process of developing a school hazardous weather emergency action plan.
Session 1.4 - Using Image Procecessing to Study Tornadoes: A Student-Designed Activity. Jim Lehman, Teacher, Godwin High School Specialty Center & Yvonne Mowery, Student, GHSSC. Charlie Orloff (seated), AMS Project ATMOSPHERE AERA (MA), engaged in hands-on image processing of Doppler weather radar imagery as presenter Jim Lehman provides one-to-one assistance.
Session 1.4 - Using Image Processing to Study Tornadoes. Godwin Specialty Center student and session co-presenter explains image processing techniques used in student-designed Doppler radar activity.
Session 1.5 - The Sunspot Conundrum: Is Weather on Earth Affected by Solar Photospheric Variations? Bob Rose, Instructor, Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach, VA. Bob presented a comprehensive description of sunspot formation and cyclical activity. Correlations between sunspots and weather on Earth were discussed.
Session 1.6 - Highs & Lows. Barbara Palko, MA-AERA (MD), C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, Charles County Public Schools, MD. Barbara leads group through hands-on activities from AMS Project ATMOSPHERE teacher-training module, "Highs and Lows" which develops basic understandings of High and Low pressure systems.
Session 1.7 - The 500 mb Level & Weather Systems. Richard Lees, MA-AERA (NJ), Lyndhurst High School, Lyndhurst, NJ. The 500 mb level is useful in predicting the movement of surface weather systems; a three-dimensional model helps to visualize this movement. Participants received AMS Project ATMOSPHERE teacher-training module, "The Atmosphere Aloft."
Session 1.8 - Project DataStreme: Becoming a Resource Teacher for Meteorology. Dr. Juanita Jo Matkins, MA-AERA (VA), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. Jo recruits participants for the AMS DataStreme Project, an Internet-based, graduate-level distance learning meteorology course in which participants are mentored by AMS Project ATMOSPHERE AERAs and professional meteorologists.
Session 1.9 - National Sky Awareness Week: Links to Severe Weather and General Weather Awareness! H. Michael Mogil, Meteorological Educator, HOW THE WEATHER WORKS, Rockville, MD. Sky Awareness Week (April 20-26, 1997) is a time to LOOK-UP and capitalize on the sky for educational purposes.
Session 1.9 - National Sky Awareness Week. H. Michael Mogil. Mike uses a hair dryer and a ping-pong ball to demonstrate how a raindrop can remain suspended in a storm updraft...
...even when the updraft is tilted slightly!

Concurrent Sessions II

Session 2.1 - Cloud Development Module. Richard Lees, MA-AERA (NJ). Just add water to a sealed two-liter soda bottle, then squeeze and release and voila--cloud in a bottle! Place a liquid crystal display thermometer inside the bottle and you can actually observe adiabatic temperature change!
Session 2.2 - El Nino. Jayne Koester, Project MAURY Peer Trainer (MD). This presentation focused on the air-sea interaction in the Pacific region. Jayne also presented Session 3.1 - Severe Winter Storms.
Session 2.3 - Tornadoes: Chasing & Tracking. Roy Britt, AMS Associate Member, Richmond, VA. Roy showed exciting video footage of numerous Midwest tornado chasing experiences.
Session 2.4 - The Hydrologic Cycle, Flash Floods, and Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting (QPF). Dr. Rod Scofield, Satellite Research Scientist, NOAA National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, Camp Springs, MD. After providing extensive background information, Dr. Scofield guided participants through a hands-on lab exercise in QPF.
Session 2.5 - Numerical Forecasting of the Temperature of a Cup of Coffee. Hank Robinson, NOAA NWS Office of Meteorology, Silver Spring, MD.
Session 2.6 - Is it Weather? Or is it Global Climate Change?. Dr. Juanita Jo Matkins, MA-AERA (VA), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. This presentation focused on the AMS Project ATMOSPHERE teacher-training module, "Global Climate Change."
Session 2.7 - Severe Weather Preparedness--Teaching Skills that can Save Lives. Janet Clements, Public Information Coordinator, Virginia Department of Emergency Services.
Session 2.8 - Hazardous Ocean Waves. Don McManus, Oceanographer, American Meteorological Society's Project MAURY. Storm surges are responsible for 90% of all hurricane-related deaths. This new hands-on activity investigates how some ocean waves become potentially dangerous to coastal areas.

Lunch

MA-AERAs Bonnie Smith (DE) and Loisteen Harrell (VA) talk during lunch. Loisteen presented Session 3.2 - Weather Instruments for the Young & Old; Bonnie presented Sessions 1.2 & 3.9.
National Weather Service Modernization: Sharing Weather Information with Schools. Dr. Elbert "Joe" Friday, Assistant Administrator for Weather Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Silver Spring, MD.
Decision Tree: Forecasting Fran. John Bernier, Meteorologist, ABC affiliate WRIC-TV8.

Afternoon Plenary Session

Weather and the 1996 Summer Olympics. William Sammler, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service Forecast Office, Wakefield, VA. Jo Ann Mulvany calls the crowd to order as Todd Anderson, Meteorologist, Virginia Power Company, prepares to introduce Bill Sammler.

Concurrent Sessions III

Session 3.1 - Severe Winter Storms. Jayne Koester, MA-AERA (MD), Anne Arundel County Board of Education, Annapolis, MD. Participants learned how to recognize the signature of a major winter storm by working through the AMS Project ATMOSPHERE teacher-training module, "Hazardous Weather."
Session 3.2 - Weather Instruments for the Young & Old. Loisteen Harrell, MA-AERA (VA), Retired Teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, VA. Loisteen showed participants how to build simple weather instruments that enable students to collect and interpret weather observations.
Session 3.3 - Satellite-Derived Gulf Stream Analyses & Other Currents. Jenifer Clark, Satellite Oceanographer, Jenifer Clark's Gulf Stream Company. Jenifer demonstrated how satellite imagery freely available via the Internet can be interpreted to determine the location of major ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream. A list of World Wide Web sites was provided.
Session 3.4 - NOAA Weather Radio, "Voice of the National Weather Service.". Ron Berger, Special Programs Meteorologist, NWS and Stan Johnson, NOAA Weather Radio Program Manager, NWS, Silver Spring, MD. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts potentially life-saving information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Session 3.5 - Weather Radar: Detecting Motion. Michael Rosenthal, MA-AERA (NJ), Randolph High School, Randolph, NJ. Mike leads the group through a low-cost, hands-on activity designed to demonstrate how Doppler weather radar can show wind motion associated with hazardous weather.
Session 3.5 - Weather Radar. Mike Rosenthal removes his dress shirt to reveal a colorful t-shirt that's actually...
...the answer key to the activity!
Session 3.6 - Tornado: Watch to Warning! Lamar Brandt, Earth Science Educator, Mathematics and Science Center, Richmond, VA. A study of the development of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, including weather clues, protection, and a practice drill.
Session 3.7 - Flood Awareness & Safety. Keith Lynch, Hydrologist, NWSFO, Wakefield, VA. This session stressed the importance of flood and flash flood awareness in Virginia. The presentation included a discussion of the factors that cause flooding as well as safety tips to minimize loss of life and property during floods.
Session 3.8 - Tides and Storm Surges. Tish McKinstry, Project MAURY Peer Trainer (VA), Centreville High School, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, VA and Phil Lacey, Project MAURY Peer Trainer (MD), Islamic Saudi Academy, Kensington, MD. Session focused on why tide analysis is important in predicting hurricane storm surges.
Session 3.9 - Science & the Internet. Bonnie Smith, MA-AERA (DE), Wilmington Christian School, Wilmington, DE. Session provided pointers to weather-related information resources accessible via the World Wide Web, as well as suggested strategies for classroom use.

Closing Plenary Session & Door Prizes

In anticipation of winning a great door prize, attendees gather in the auditorium for closing remarks. Notable faces in the crowd (front to back): Irene Lees, NJ Presidential Award Winner in elementary science and very supportive wife of NJ MA-AERA Rich Lees; Bill Sammler, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWSFO, Wakefield, VA; and Todd Anderson, Meteorologist, Virginia Power.
Door Prize Distribution. MA-AERAs Jo Matkins (VA) and Bonnie Smith (DE) distribute numerous weather-related door prizes. Thanks to the generous support of numerous public and private sector organizations, virtually every attendee received a door prize!

Credits

This conference was made possible by the generous support of: Our sincere thanks to all of the presenters--especially those who aren't pictured--who generously volunteered to share their meteorological expertise with interested pre-college and college educators.

Digital photography (using Apple QuickTake 150 digital camera) by Joanne Goodwin, Technology Resource Teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools.

Web pages authored by Walter Sanford, MA-AERA (VA). Web page pictures prepared using photoweb v1.2, a UNIX graphics utility authored by Phil Wherry.