MountainWeather offers a variety of weather courses for the general public and for the United States Military. There are options for both in-person and online classes.
Scroll down for a list of upcoming courses and information about scheduling a customized weather course.
Why Take a Weather Course?
Any outdoor enthusiast would benefit from learning more about the weather. Increasing your weather knowledge will translate directly to an increased margin of safety during any venture into the outdoors.
If your job, and the safety of others, depends on the weather, then learning how to properly & accurately read the weather is a must-have skill, especially for guides, rescue groups, avalanche forecasters, pilots, etc.
2024-25 Courses
Winter Weather Forecasting
Description: This 2-Day course covers all the basics of meteorology and explains how the atmosphere works. Students will learn how to read and interpret all the weather maps and computer models necessary to make their own forecast. There will be map reading and forecasting exercises each day to give the students as much hands-on experience as possible.
Goals: By the end of this course students should feel comfortable interpreting most weather maps and making their own forecast for their local mountain area. This course can be especially useful for personnel involved in making short-term mission-critical weather forecasts for mountainous terrain, such as mountain guides, ski guides, ski patrol or avalanche forecasters.
Scheduled Courses:
Dates for On-Line Zoom Classes:
October 26 & 27, 2024 (This course is full. Add to Wait List)
January 11 & 12, 2025 (This course is full. Add to Wait List)
On-Line Zoom Class
Location: from Jackson, WY
Registration Info: American Avalanche Institute
Advanced Winter Weather Forecasting
Description: This 2-day course begins where the Winter Weather Forecasting Course leaves off, concentrating on more advanced meteorological subjects, more mountain weather forecasting techniques, and more hands-on forecasting practice.
Students will be introduced to additional analysis tools and the use of more advanced computer model products that will improve your forecast capabilities.
Goals: Learn how to organize and streamline the forecast process, utilizing the most pertinent weather products to create a forecast for your specific area of interest. By the end of this course you should have all the skills necessary to be capable of making a detailed and more accurate weather forecast for any mountain location around the world.
Prerequisite: The Winter Weather Forecasting or basic Mountain Weather Forecasting course is a prerequisite to taking this course. Or, proof of a college level meteorology course is also acceptable.
Date for On-line Zoom Class:
February 8 & 9, 2025 (This course is full. Add to Wait List)
On-Line Zoom Class
Location: from Jackson, WY
Registration Info: American Avalanche Institute
*This will be the only Advanced weather course offered this winter.
Alaska Winter Weather Forecasting
Description: This 2-Day course is similar to the WWF course described above, it also covers basic meteorology and how the atmosphere works, but is tailored to concentrate primarily on Alaska’s weather. Students will learn how to read and interpret the weather maps, resources and computer models available for the Alaska region, with hands-on forecasting exercises each day.This course is especially useful for personnel involved in making short-term mission-critical weather forecasts for mountainous terrain, such as mountain guides, ski guides, avalanche forecasters and pilots.
Goals: By the end of this course students should feel comfortable interpreting most weather maps and making their own forecast for their local mountain area.
Scheduled Course:
In-person course
Dates: November 9 & 10, 2024 (Course is full. Add to Wait List)
Location: Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, AK
Registration Info: Alaska Avalanche School
Basic Mountain Weather Forecasting
Description: Weather can make or break a trip into the mountains. This course will help to maximize your chances for success and increase your margin of safety. This 2-Day course begins with basic meteorology, explaining how the atmosphere works in understandable terms. How the weather interacts with mountainous terrain will be explored in detail. Students will learn how to read and interpret all the weather maps & forecast products necessary to make their own forecast, prior to launching into the field. This course will also outline the techniques necessary to be able to evaluate the weather once you are out in the field. Thunderstorm forecasting and lightning safety are also covered in this course.
Goals: This course will provide the student with these 3 essential skills:
1) Basic understanding of meteorology.
2) Ability to interpret weather maps and forecast products.
3) Techniques for weather forecasting while out in the mountains.
This course is offered in-person or in an On-line Zoom format.
To sponsor a course for your company or work group, Contact:
-Other Custom Courses Available
- Intro to Mountain Weather: 1-day basic meteorology, map reading & orographics.
- Field Weather Forecasting: 1-day course for the outdoor enthusiast.
- Lightning Safety: 1 to 2 hour training session, for guide services, camp staff, outdoor educators, utility workers, etc.
- Mountain Weather Forecasting: 2-day professional development course. Custom designed for a specific region or work-group (mountain guides, ski-patrols, avalanche forecasters, etc.)
Call or e-mail for more info, via link at bottom of page.
Military Weather Courses
Military Mountain Weather Forecasting
Time= 2-Days
This course is for military weather forecasters, including USAF, Navy & Marine Corps METOC groups. It is an intensive two-days of training that concentrates on the specialized techniques used for forecasting weather in mountainous terrain throughout the world. This course specifically addresses forecasting with limited data for remote areas.
Back in 2010, MountainWeather™ meteorologist Jim Woodmencey developed a Mountain Weather Forecasting Course for the United States Air Force Special Operations Weather Teams (SOWT’s). Over the years, this course has evolved to meet the changing needs of all military personnel involved in weather forecasting over complex terrain.
To request more information or to schedule a course for your military unit, contact Jim at the e-mail or phone number listed at the bottom of this page.
Balloon Soundings & Skew-T Diagrams
Time = 1-Day
This one-day course is designed to assist military weather forecasters with the interpretation of balloon sounding information and plots, from both the upper air sounding network, as well as, data received from portable balloon sounding equipment, such as the TASK system. Balloon sounding information is an advantageous tactical tool for accessing & forecasting cloud cover, temperature, precipitation, winds aloft, turbulence, as well a,s thunderstorms and severe weather.
The goal of this course is to become familiar & proficient at interpreting and applying the information available from Skew-T & Stueve plots, as well as, Hodographs for nowcasting and forecasting purposes.
Usually conducted following a 2-day Mountain Weather Forecasting Course.
To request more information or to schedule a course for your military unit, contact Jim at the e-mail or phone number listed at the bottom of this page.
Arctic Weather Forecasting Course for U.S. Military
Time = 1-Day
This one-day course is designed for military weather forecasters who are tasked with forecasting in Arctic regions around the globe. This course begins with an orientation tour of Arctic regions across the Northern Hemisphere and an overview of ocean circulations and weather patterns that affect specific Arctic zones. We will then evaluate the available weather products for remote regions at latitudes above 60°North, including satellite images and computer models. This course will include some practical forecasting exercises in a variety of northern latitude climate regions.
Usually conducted following a 2-day Mountain Weather Forecasting Course.
Basic Military Mountain Weather Course
Time = 2-Days
This comprehensive 2-Day course is designed for military personnel involved in weather-critical missions; such as, Para-rescue (PJ’s), Helo/C-130 pilots, combat controllers, or any special operations teams such as Navy Seals or Army Rangers. Increased knowledge about what is causing the weather and how it might be changing will ultimately lead to increased safety during field operations.
This course covers general meteorology as a foundation for understanding how the atmosphere works. Students will then learn how to read and interpret all pertinent weather maps and computer models, to be able to make a mission specific weather assessment. Specialized weather effects that occur over mountainous terrain and in Arctic environments will be covered, including those pertinent to aviation. There will be map reading and forecasting exercises during this course to provide hands-on experience.
The final portion of this course will outline weather observation techniques that can be utilized in the field to make a forecast, when other forms of weather information are inaccessible.
To request more information or to schedule a course for your military unit, contact Jim at the e-mail or phone number listed at the bottom of this page.
Military Avalanche-Weather Forecasting Course
Through a collaborative effort between MountainWeather and the American Avalanche Institute (AAI), customized courses are available to U.S. military weather personnel who may be tasked with forecasting for avalanche prone terrain in the mountains. Avalanche-Weather courses concentrate on the specific weather forecasting techniques used to determine the potential for snow avalanches and how to advise personnel operating on the ground in this terrain.
Normally, the 2-Day Mountain Weather Forecasting Course is taken prior to the Avalanche portion of the training. The Avalanche portion of the training can be between 3 to 8 days.
NOTE: Avalanche courses for non-weather personnel are also available.
A new one-day course in building HLZ’s on snow was added in 2022.
Click to see descriptions of courses offered through AAI: Avalanche Courses
MountainWeather™ has proudly provided courses to the following Military Units:
- USAF 23rd Special Operations Weather Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
- US Navy, NOSWC, San Diego, CA
- US Navy USSOCOM, Virginia Beach, VA
- USAF 18th Weather Squadron, Det 4 ASOG, Ft. Campbell, KY
- USAF 17th Operational Weather Squadron, Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
- USAF 352nd Special Operations Support Squadron, Mildenhall, U.K.
- US Navy Seal Team Six, Special Development Group
- US Marine Corps, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, Cherry Point, NC
- US Marine Corps, 2d Intelligence Battalion, Camp Lejeune, NC
- US Navy Special Warfare Development Group, Virginia Beach, VA
- USAF 720 STG Hurlburt Field, FL
- USAF 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Ft. Bragg, NC
- USAF 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
- USAF 321st Special Tactics Squadron, Mildenhall, U.K.
- USAF 18th Weather Squadron, Det 1. Ft. Drum, NY
- USAF 210th Air Rescue Squadron, JBER, AK
- USAF 211th Air Rescue Squadron, JBER, AK
- USAF 23rd Special Operations Weather Squadron, Ft. Campbell, KY
- USAF 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, JBLM, Tacoma, WA
- USAF 212th Rescue Squadron, JBER, AK
- USAF 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, Kentucky ANG, Louisville, KY
- USAF Special Operations Weather Team, Hurlburt Field, FL
- USAF 1SOSS/OSW Special Operations Support Squadron, FL
- USAF 125th Special Tactics Squadron, Portland ANG, Oregon
- USAF 1st Weather Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
- US Navy Special Warfare Support Activity Two, JEB, Virginia Beach, VA
- USAF 10th Combat Weather Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
- USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Ft. Bragg, NC
- USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, CA
Contact for Custom Courses:
Meteorologist Jim Woodmencey
jim@mountainweather.com
Phone: 307-739-9282
MountainWeather :: P.0. Box 2221 Jackson, WY 83001 USA
