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SHyMet Course for Forecasters

Disclaimer

This course was developed in the pre GOES-R era and contains dated information. Although some of the principles may still be applied in the GOES-R era, these are no longer supported training courses and are made available here as reference material. Be sure to check the link to “SHyMet Courses” for current, supported courses.

The Forecaster track of the Satellite Hydrology and Meteorology (SHyMet) Course will cover satellite imagery interpretation, including feature identification, water vapor channels and what to expect on future satellites. There is a session on remote sensing applications for hydrometeorology, this includes uses of remote sensing data for operational hydrology. There is also a session on aviation hazards such as volcanic ash, fog, dust etc. Other topics include an understanding of the Dvorak method in tropical cyclone analysis and the utility of cloud climatologies in forecasting. This course will be administered through web-based instruction and will consist of 9 hours of core topics and 3 hours of optional topics.

If you wish to register for the course, send an email to:
nws.oaa.clo.shymet AT noaa.gov
In the email, be sure to include your name and your office (site ID).

After you’ve registered via email, we will reply to you with setup instructions on how to signup for this course which will be delivered through the E-Learning Management System (LMS). After taking all of the lessons, we will mail you a signed SHyMet course completion certificate.

Training Modules

Click the column heading at the top to reorder the columns – double click to switch ascending titles to descending.

Title Topic Instructor Developed Updated Length (min) WMO Sat Skill(s)
Introduction to Remote Sensing for Hydrology
  • SHyMet
 2008 2011 60
Interpreting Satellite Signatures Archived Training
  • Scott Lindstrom
  • Scott Bachmeier
 2008 2009 45
Aviation Hazards Aviation/Satellite
  • Jeff Braun
 2009 2011 180
Water Vapor Channels Forecaster Course
  • SHyMet
 2009 60
GOES-R 101 Forecaster Course
  • SHyMet
 2009 90

Optional Courses:

Click the column heading at the top to reorder the columns – double click to switch ascending titles to descending.

Title Topic Instructor Developed Updated Length (min) WMO Sat Skill(s)
Volcanoes and Volcanic Ash Part 1 Aviation/Satellite
  • Jeff Braun
  • Jeff Osiensky
 2010 140
Volcanoes and Volcanic Ash Part 2 Aviation/Satellite
  • Jeff Braun
  • Jeff Osiensky
 2011 90
Regional Satellite Cloud Composites from GOES Archived Training
  • Bernie Connell
 2010 50
SHyMet for Forecasters- Objectives

The primary objective of the SHyMet for forecasters course is to build upon previous basic building blocks offered in the SHyMet for interns course. The level of difficulty is generally greater than that for the SHyMet for interns course, also, there is a diverse set of training topics.

Although the SHyMet for forecasters course builds off ideas covered in the SHyMet for interns course, the interns course is NOT a prerequisite to this course. We invite all forecasters to participate in the forecasters course. Individual training sessions from the interns course may be taken (as opposed to the entire course) to review various content.

Learning Objectives:
  1. Obtain a broader perspective of remote sensing applications to hydrology.
  2. Tune the forecaster to the background environment in interpretation of satellite imagery. Also, how to apply feature identification to forecast / warning operations.
  3. Applied tropical cyclone applications using satellite imagery.
  4. Satellite cloud climatology applications to forecast operations.
  5. Introduction to future satellite capabilities and how they relate to current capabilities.
  6. Customer driven applications related to various hazards.
SHyMet for Forecasters – Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to take a quiz for each lesson completed?

Yes. You will need to take a quiz and achieve a passing score.

What is the main difference between the SHyMet for Interns course and the SHyMet for Forecasters course?
  • The level of difficulty of the content is generally greater (i.e., more intermediate level).
  • This course builds off the intern course, think of it as a follow-on to the intern course.
  • There is a more diverse set of topics.
Is the SHyMet for Interns course a prerequisite to the SHyMet for Forecasters course?

No. However, if you wish to review any content from the SHyMet for interns course, you may either take the whole interns course OR take individual training sessions from the interns course.

I Forecast in Alaska, Do I need to take the Tropical module?

Yes. Many forecasters change location more than once during their career. You may move south one day and the information will be helpful. Besides this, you may come across a product that may be helpful for you in your area.

Can I take an individual lesson rather than all of the lessons in the SHyMet for Forecasters course (Learning Path)?

Yes. However, you will not receive for credit for completion of the SHyMet for Forecasters course.

Do I need to take each lesson in a particular order?

No.

The HY in SHyMet stands for Hydrology, where is the hydrology section of the course?

One of the sessions in this course is titled “Introduction to Remote Sensing for Hydrology”. This is geared for forecasters to give them some basic understanding of how remote sensing techniques are used in hydrology. In the future, there will be an entire course for hydrologists (“SHyMet for Hydrologists”).

If I am not an NWS Intern, can I still take the course and get credit for it?

The course is open to everyone inside or outside of NOAA. If you are within NOAA, you will get agency credit and it will be tracked through the LMS.

Is there a plan to offer additional SHyMet for Forecasters courses in the future?

Yes

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CIRA_Training@colostate.edu

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