The integration of the environment and the snowpack has been a key emphasis of the Avalanche Science Program. Understanding the forcing factors from the weather on the snowpack has been essential for my understanding how and why the snowpack changes. This knowledge influences all aspects of the course, from understanding avalanche phenomena to constructing forecasts.

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A large component of the first semester was establishing a baseline understanding of meteorology and weather. MET 150 was a thorough course that introduced me to large and small scale weather phenomena and atmospheric sciences. It also taught me how to understand and use tools like satellite imagery, weather station data, and other data.

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The weather station constructed on the CMC Leadville campus was instrumental in teaching me the fundamentals of collecting and recording measurements to SWAG standards. The importance of quality and consistency in measurement and recording was always stressed. 

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Building on this experience, the three large projects completed in the second year of the program all involved a component of weather station construction, and evaluation of current weather station installations. I experienced the process of choosing weather station locations and components, and the details of data transmission. As a result, I am confident in my ability to use weather station data for snow safety purposes, critique the quality of data being used, and construct a weather station.

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