INTRODUCTION TO WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Dr. Viney P. Aneja
Professor, Air Quality
Professor, Environmental Technology
Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8208, USA
http://meas.ncsu.edu/airquality
This course explores the structure of atmosphere, including its chemical constituents as well as its physical and dynamical properties as they pertain to every day weather and climate.
- Emphasis will be placed on energy forms as they relate to temperature, moisture forms, as they relate to clouds and precipitation, and pressure patterns as they relate wind flow. We will also examine air masses, fronts and mid-latitude cyclones; as well as the development and evolution of severe weather phenomena including thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, and air quality.
- Weather map discussions will be used to illustrate the concepts and principles.
Class Textbook: Essentials of Meteorology 4th Edition, by C.D. Ahrens.
COURSE SCHEDULE
INTRODUCTION TO WEATHER AND CLIMATE
1. THE EARTH AND ITS ATMOSPHERE.
Overview of the Earth's Atmosphere. Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere. Weather and Climate.
2. ENERGY: WARMING THE EARTH AND THE ATMOSPHERE
Energy, Temperature, and Heat. Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere. Radiation.Balancing Act Absorption, Emission, and Equilibrium. Incoming Solar Energy.
3. SEASONAL AND DAILY TEMPERATURES
Why the Earth Has Seasons. Local Seasonal Variations. Daily Temperature
Variations. The Controls of Temperature. Air Temperature Data. Air Temperature
and Human Comfort. Measuring Air Temperature. Summary.
4. ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE
Water in the Atmosphere. Absolute Humidity. Specific Humidity and Mixing Ratio.
Vapor Pressure. Relative Humidity.
5. CONDENSATION: DEW, FOG, AND CLOUDS
The Formation of Dew and Frost. Condensation Nuclei. Haze. Fog. Foggy Weather.
Clouds
6. STABILITY AND CLOUD DEVELOPMENT
Atmospheric Stability. Determining Stability. Cloud Development.
7. PRECIPITATION.
Precipitation Process. Precipitation Types. Measuring Precipitation.
8. THE ATMOSPHERE IN MOTION: AIR PRESSURE, FORCES, AND WINDS
Atmospheric Pressure. Surface and Upper‑Level Charts. Newton's Laws of Motion.
Forces That Influence the Winds. Winds and Vertical Air Motions.
9. AIR MASSES AND FRONTS
Air Masses. Fronts. Source regions, and classification.
10. THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES
What Are Thunderstorms? Ordinary (Air‑Mass) Thunderstorms. Severe
Thunderstorms. Distribution of Thunderstorms. Lightning and Thunder. Tornadoes.
Severe Weather and Doppler Radar.
11. HURRICANES
Tropical Weather. Anatomy of a Hurricane. Hurricane Formation and Dissipation. Naming Hurricanes.