Meteorology: An Introduction to the Wonders of the Weather

Course No. 1796 (24 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)

Taught by Robert G. Fovell

University of California, Los Angeles

Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign



Famed physicist Richard Feynman once said, "Anyone who has been in a thunderstorm has enjoyed it, or has been frightened by it, or at least has had some emotion. And in those places in nature where we get an emotion, we find there is generally a corresponding complexity and mystery about it."



In the world of weather, you don't have to look far for that complexity, that mystery, or that heart-pounding emotion.



Consider, for example, the rushing Santa Ana winds that sweep into the Los Angeles basin with startling force. They descend from the cold heights of the mountains, yet they are dry and hot as any desert, bringing with them the smell of fire and parched summer days. What drives these powerful winds, and what is the source of their searing heat?



Or imagine that symbol of fierce prairie weather, the tornado. How do these intense swirling winds acquire their spin? And why do we find these twisting winds in the flat lands of the Midwest, but in few other places?



Pursuing the answers to questions like these is more than just an interesting intellectual exercise. Weather affects our lives each and every day, often determining where we can go and what we can do. But meteorology—the study of weather—is also a grand puzzle. From the swirling winds to the transformation of water vapor into clouds, each meteorological event is a tremendously complex interaction of forces and factors. To grasp the mystery of these phenomena is to understand a remarkably complex system and, ultimately, to gain a glimpse into the way all complex systems work.



In Meteorology: An Introduction to the Wonders of the Weather, you embark on a fascinating foray into this complex and enthralling field of study. In 24 engaging lectures, you explore the often surprising, always intriguing workings of the weather, guided by expert atmospheric scientist and Professor Robert G. Fovell. Bringing together geography, chemistry, physics, and other scientific disciplines, the study of weather offers insights into the world around you while also providing an opportunity to grasp the complex interactions that make up our world's climate.



Course Lecture Titles

1. Nature Abhors Extremes

2. Temperature, Pressure, and Density

3. Atmosphere—Composition and Origin

4. Radiation and the Greenhouse Effect

5. Sphericity, Conduction, and Convection

6. Sea Breezes and Santa Anas

7. An Introduction to Atmospheric Moisture

8. Bringing Air to Saturation

9. Clouds, Stability, and Buoyancy, Part 1

10. Clouds, Stability, and Buoyancy, Part 2

11. Whence and Whither the Wind, Part 1

12. Whence and Whither the Wind, Part 2

13. The Global Atmospheric Circulation

14. Fronts and Extratropical Cyclones

15. Middle Troposphere—Troughs and Ridges

16. Wind Shear—Horizontal and Vertical

17. Mountain Influences on the Atmosphere

18. Thunderstorms, Squall Lines, and Radar

19. Supercells, Tornadoes, and Dry Lines

20. Ocean Influences on Weather and Climate

21. Tropical Cyclones

22. Light and Lightning

23. Prediction and Predictability

24. The Imperfect Forecast