Online Weather Course A 4-part online weather course / Public Courses / Weather Courses / Online Weather Course Overview Weather can significantly impact our outdoor experiences, making it essential to understand and interpret the right information for your activities. Our course is thoughtfully designed to help you explore the fascinating world of weather, equipping you with valuable tools and techniques to use in the field. Whether you’re an experienced enthusiast or just starting out, you’ll find our interactive and hands-on approach engaging and supportive. It’s ideal for anyone involved in outdoor activities or professions where the weather plays a significant role. Join us, and let’s enhance your understanding of weather together while making outdoor experiences more enjoyable and safe! This course is divided into four parts, each delivered online and recorded, allowing you to attend live each week or watch at a time that suits you. The sessions take place once a week over a four-week period, with each session averaging 2 hours in duration. All sessions start at the same time each week on the same day. For example, if the course begins on a Tuesday at 7 PM, it will run for four consecutive weeks, every Tuesday from 7 to 9 PM. Course Details Course Location Public Course: This course is broken into four parts. Each part is delivered online via Zoom, running from 7 pm to 9 pm on a Tuesday. The course will run over 4 weeks from the scheduled start date. Workplace: We can deliver this training over 1 day in-house, or your team can join in on the public course. This course is scheduled to run twice each year in June and November Private training and custom weather training courses can be organised at any time of year on request. Live out of town but want to join? This course is hosted online via Zoom so anyone can join. Delivered live you can ask your questions in real-time, and your instructor can discuss questions and content with you straight away. You can also watch the lesson at a later time as we record all the sessions for you to take away. Gear & Equipment What gear will I need? Just a notebook and a pen. We will have resources and an electronic handbook that covers all the course material. A hard copy of the handbook costs $20.00 and is available on request. Course Outline This weather course is designed to give you the tools to confidently interpret forecasts and make informed decisions outdoors. Session 1: Global Weather & Forecasts Global Weather Where it all starts Cells and trade winds Coriolis effect Air pressure measurements El Nino / La Nina Synoptic Charts and Forecasting Reading synoptic charts Using metadata charts Collating data from various models and interpreting the information Reliability vs variability Understanding weather systems High pressure (local influences) Low pressure (local Influences) Session 2 - Weather Dynamics Weather Dynamics Wind Anabatic winds katabatic winds Temperature Free Air Freezing Level Temperature Inversions Air Humidity Precipitation Cloud Coverage Ways of Lifting Air Convection Orographic Frontal lifting Convergent lifting Session 3 - Fronts Fronts Frontal systems Cold front Warm fronts Occluded fronts Stationary fronts Troughs Ridges Timeframes for weather travel Session 4 - New Zealand Weather Weather in New Zealand New Zealand Climate Forecasting sites Forecasting models What does it all mean? Field Observations – “Nowcast vs Forecast” Cloud identification Finding wind direction Predicting wind speed Understanding air temperature and FAFL (free air freezing level) Predicting field changes Meet Our Weather Course Instructors Sarah English Alan Haslip Frequently Asked Questions What if I cant make it to one of the sessions? The course is delivered online in a live session using Zoom. Each lesson is recorded so you can watch it as many times as you like or at a time that works for you. Is the course delivered live of is it pre-recorded? Each session is delivered live by one of our tutors, allowing you to ask questions. The sessions are also recorded and emailed out each week. Can I ask questions at anytime? We encourage people to ask questions throughout the course. We also encourage people to email questions and observations throughout the course before and after the sessions. Will I get a certificate after the course has finished? Yes, you will receive a certificate of completion. Will this course help me plan my outdoor adventures? Most certainly, this course will help you understand when a forecast is reliable and which forecasts are most trustworthy. Is this course suitable for understanding marine weather? The course is built around general weather patterns and systems on land. The systems and patterns are all the same in the maritime environment, so there is a lot of value in it for those getting into ocean-based activities. However, we do not dive into the specific effects on the maritime environment in this course, such as the formation of waves or the impact of rain or high-pressure & low-pressure systems on the ocean surface. Can you deliver a private weather course for my company? Yes, we are happy to deliver this course as workplace training. Have a look at our workplace weather training page Weather course photos Understanding air movement New Zealand rain and wind forecast Looking a global weather A temperature inversion creates valley clouds Sunrise lights up a mid layer clouds High cloud over the mountains Customer Reviews “The weather course was good, provided understanding in depth and was professionally taught.” Chris Mansell, New Zealand “I took the OENZ weather course before a multi-day tramp in the Southern Alps, and it completely changed how I plan and make decisions outdoors. I now feel confident making calls based on the actual weather. Highly recommend for anyone who goes bush regularly.” Sonia, Christchurch, NZ “Honestly didn’t expect an online weather course to be this engaging. The structure over a month worked really well — I could fit it around work and still stay on track. This should be required learning for anyone heading into the bush.” Tom Hunter, New Zealand “Being online worked well for me. The instructors did a great job of breaking down complex stuff like synoptic charts and weather models into plain English. Overall excellent value.” Jessica, West Coast, NZ “Loved to finally know what the synoptic charts mean – life changing!” Amy Sadler “Fantastic to get an understanding of how all the information about weather fits together.” Lenard, New Zealand Still Have Questions? Get in touch with our team — we’re happy to help you prepare for your alpine adventure. Contact Us
