Meteorological Training
Introduction: The scope of work of the Hong Kong Observatory has expanded considerably through the years. It now provides weather forecasting, tropical cyclone warning and various other meteorological services to meet the needs of shipping, aviation, industries and the general public. It is also involved in a wide range of other activities such as seismology, physical oceanography, radiation monitoring and assessment and the determination of the official time in Hong Kong. Training in these subjects, which are specialized in nature, is not normally available in local institutions. The department therefore organizes a comprehensive training programme of its own.
New recruits to various departmental grades normally do not possess the knowledge or skills to carry out operational duties. They usually have to go through a series of courses and on-the-job training. In general, basic knowledge for the job is acquired through formal courses conducted either locally or overseas while the necessary skills are developed through on-the-job training. The Hong Kong Observatory has for many years been offering departmental courses for Scientific Assistants. To familiarize newly recruited officers with local meteorological phenomena and to provide them with basic and advanced forecasting techniques, the Hong Kong Observatory has also developed special courses for weather forecasters. With the establishment of a Training Division in 1981, it has been possible for courses giving particular attention to local and regional conditions to be organized within the department. Some of these in-house training courses are also suitable for meteorological personnel from other Asian meteorological services and would be offered to candidates from these services subject to demand and the availability of resources.
Course on Meteorology of Southeast Asia (3 weeks)
The Course on Meteorology of Southeast Asia aims at providing the candidates with the necessary knowledge on the meteorology of Southeast Asia and in particular, Hong Kong to prepare them for operational forecasting duties in the Hong Kong Meteorological Centre of the Hong Kong Observatory. Local forecasting techniques and operational procedures will be emphasized.
Qualifications for enrolment:
Degree-holder of a science or engineering subject or WMO Class III meteorological personnel with equivalent knowledge in Physics and Mathematics, and at least 2 years relevant experience or equivalent and proficiency in written and spoken English.
Syllabus:
1. Meteorology of Southeast Asia: Winter monsoon and cold surge; summer monsoon, rainfall of China, Mei-yu, fog and crachin, tropical cyclones, tropical synoptic systems, climate of Hong Kong.
2. Special topics such as interpretation of satellite pictures and doppler weather radar images as well as operational procedures at the Hong Kong Meteorological Centre.
3. Practical : Case studies on various weather situations.
Applied Meteorology Course for Forecasters (14 weeks)
The Applied Meteorology Course for Forecasters is organized to introduce trainees to the fundamentals of dynamic, physical and synoptic meteorology to enable them to appreciate the basic scientific principles behind the observed weather phenomena and how to predict the weather based on these scientific principles. One module in this course is the Course on Meteorology of Southeast Asia. After completing this course, the graduate should be able to perform the duties of an Experimental Officer (equivalent to WMO Class II meteorological personnel).
Qualifications for enrolment:
Degree-holder of a science or engineering subject or WMO Class III meteorological personnel with equivalent knowledge in Physics and Mathematics, and at least 2 years relevant experience or equivalent and proficiency in written and spoken English.
Syllabus:
1. Physical meteorology: Radiation and thermodynamics.
2. Dynamic meteorology: Equations of motion; geostrophic, ageostrophic and gradient winds; thickness and thermal wind; continuity equation; stream function; vorticity equation; divergence equation; omega equation; Rossby wave; Ekman layer; numerical weather prediction.
3. Synoptic meteorology: The general circulation; air masses; fronts; tropopause; jet stream; fog; local winds; severe local storms.
4. Practical meteorology: Isopleths analysis; streamline analysis; use of tephigram; interpretation of weather charts; weather observations; codes in common use; principles and exposure requirements of weather instruments; telecommunications procedures.
5. Aviation meteorology: Altimetry; turbulence; aircraft icing; route and aerodrome forecasts; preparation of aviation weather documents.
6. Radar and satellite meteorology: principles of doppler weather radar; interpretation of radar imagery; principles of satellite remote sensing; the global weather satellite observing system; interpretation of satellite pictures.
7. Significant weather influencing relief of southeast Asia; large scale circulations in the tropics; winter monsoon and cold surge; summer monsoon; rainfall of China; Mei-yu; fog and crachin; tropical cyclones; tropical synoptic systems; climate of Hong Kong.
8. Special topics: Organization of the Hong Kong Observatory, WMO and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); operations of the Hong Kong Meteorological Centre and Airport Meteorological Office.
9. Out-station visits.
Meteorology Course for Aviation Forecasters (3 weeks)
The Meteorology Course for Aviation Forecasters is organized to provide continual and updated training for Experimental Officers (equivalent to WMO Class II meteorological personnel), with special emphasis on aviation weather forecasting. A 2-week attachment to the Airport Meteorological Office is included.
Qualification for enrolment
Experimental Officers who have satisfactorily completed a course on meteorology (equivalent to WMO Class II meteorological personnel) and proficiency in written and spoken English.
Syllabus
1. Aviation meteorology: Altimetry; turbulence and wind shear; aircraft icing; route and aerodrome forecasts; preparation of aviation weather documents.
2. Development in forecasting techniques.
3. Interpretation and application of products from numerical weather prediction models.
4. Operational procedures and weather services of Airport Meteorological Office.
5. Practical : Case studies on various weather situations.
6. Out-station visits.
Initial Training Course for Scientific Assistants (15 weeks)
The Initial Training Course for Scientific Assistants is conducted normally once a year for newly recruited Scientific Assistants (equivalent to WMO Class III meteorological personnel). It provides a background on various aspects of meteorology and trains the Scientific Assistants in making weather observations, manual and computerized plotting of weather charts and the preparation and dissemination of weather bulletins using microcomputers. For Hong Kong Observatory staff, the course will be followed by a two-month attachment to the Hong Kong Meteorological Centre and the Airport Meteorological Office.
Qualifications for enrolment:
Grade C or above in Mathematics and Physics, together with three other subjects, including English Language (Syllabus B) and Chinese Language, at Grade E or above in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, or equivalent; and proficiency in written and spoken Chinese as well as ability to understand written English.
Syllabus:
1. Basic meteorology: Elementary physical, dynamic, synoptic, aviation, tropical, satellite and radar meteorology. Climate of Hong Kong.
2. Practical meteorology: Making weather observations; encoding and decoding of codes in normal use; manual and computerized plotting of weather charts; preparation and dissemination of weather bulletins by microcomputers; principles and exposure requirements of meteorological instruments; simple fault detection and adjustment of instruments and autographic recorders; upper-air sounding; WMO and AFTN(Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network) message formats and telecommunications procedures; handling telephone enquiries.
3. Statistics and data processing: Introductory statistics; basic computer concepts, operation of the Hong Kong Observatory computer system.
4. Special topics: Organizations of the Hong Kong Observatory, WMO and ICAO.
5. Out-station visits.
