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Structure of the Earth's atmosphere: the vertical layers of the
atmosphere and the temperature changes within them. The major
ingredients of the atmosphere. The minor ingredients of the
atmosphere and their influence on the weather.
The Six Weather Elements: air pressure, wind speed and direction,
solar radiation, temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity.
How these elements are measured and the units used in their measurement.
Solar radiation: the motions of the earth and how they produce the
seasons. Scattering, reflection, absorption, and re-radiation of solar
energy. The three basic mechanisms of heat transfer.
Temperature: definition of temperature and the different types of
thermometers used to measure it. The Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin
temperature scales. The natural controls of temperature on earth.
Water in the Earth's Atmosphere: absolute and relative humidity and how
they are measured. Condensation and adiabatic temperature change.
Determination of stability and its role in weather.
Clouds and Fog: classification of clouds and identification of clouds.
Using clouds to predict future weather. The types of fog and how these
forms of fog are produced.
Precipitation: the Bergeron and Collision-Coalescense model of the
formation of precipitation. The various forms of precipitation, how they
are symbolized, and hazards associated with them.
Air Pressure and Wind: the gas laws and the measurement of air pressure.
The pressure gradient force and the coriolis force. Synoptic, mesoscale,
and microscale winds. The Beaufort scale of wind representation of
surface weather maps.
Global Winds: the idealized global wind pattern producing the trade
winds, prevailing westerlies, and the polar easterlies. Jet stream winds
and "waves" in the westerlies. El Nino, monsoons, and rain shadow
deserts.
Air Masses: the source regions and classification of air masses. The
role of maritime polar, maritime tropical, continental polar, and
continental tropical air masses on North American weather.
Mid-Latitude Cyclones: the life cycle of a cyclone and cyclogenesis.
The four basic types of weather fronts. Sequential cloud development
associated with approaching warm and cold fronts.
Thunderstorms: the formation of air mass and severe thunderstorms.
The stages of thunderstorm growth. Lightning, thunder, and hail.
Frequency of thunderstrom activity and thunderstorm damage.
Tornadoes and Hurricanes: condition required for their formation and
areas most frequented by these storms. Prediction of tornadoes and
hurricanes. Damage produced by tornadoes and hurricanes.
Weather Forecasting: reading and interpreting a synoptic weather chart
at the 500 and 300 millibar levels. Correlating upper level charts with
surface weather. The value and use of satellite photography. Synoptic,
analog, and persistence forecast methods.
Climate Change: modification of climate in areas adjacent to urban
areas, Plate tectonics, volcanic activity, and astronomical theories of
climate change. Evidence that gives insight into past climate.
The Gaia Hypothesis: the role of the earth's biosphere in regulating
the earth's temperature. Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and methane gases and
their role in temperature control.
Optical Phenomena of the Earth's Atmosphere: reflection, refraction,
and dispersion of light. The formation of halos, sun dogs, solar
pillars, the blue sky, red sunsets, rainbows, and double rainbows. The
origin of the Aurora Borealis.
