Undergraduate Course: Meteorology: Weather and Climate (METE08002)
This course will be closed from 31 July 2026
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | An introduction to large-scale weather systems and climate processes. We will cover radiation and climate, the role of the oceans, the greenhouse effect, atmospheric dynamics, the global circulation, tropical and mid-latitude weather systems and weather forecasting. |
| Course description |
Syllabus
Example Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction, course content, weather maps; Satellite images; Components of the climate system
Week 2: Basics of radiation: Solar and terrestrial, properties of a perfect radiator; Equilibrium temperature of Earth;
The greenhouse effect
Week 3: Feedbacks in the climate system; The role of the oceans in the climate system; Climate forcings
Week 4: Climate variability and change; General Circulation; Pressure and Forces
Week 5: Coriolis forces; Geostrophic balance; Inertial oscillations and Cyclostrophic motion
Week 6: The Gradient wind, boundary layer friction; The Thermal wind; Feedback Session on the Radiation Lab
Week 7: Convergence and divergence; Vorticity; Tropical cyclones overview
Week 8: Mid-latitude cyclones: Warm, Cold and occluded fronts; Mid-latitude cyclones: Life cycle
Week 9: Mid-latitude cyclones: Upper level flow; Other low pressure systems; Anticyclones and Weather Forecasting
Week 10: Weather Forecasting; Seasonal prediction; Feedback Session on Balloon experiment
Further course information can be found at the following link:
https://path.is.ed.ac.uk/courses/METE08002_SV1_SEM2
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | SCE H-grade Physics and Mathematics or equivalent
|
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the components of the climate system, the global radiation balance and the physics underlying the greenhouse effect
- Display a basic understanding of the dynamics of the atmosphere and its interaction with the underlying ocean and land
- Display a basic understanding of the dynamics of the atmosphere and its interaction with the underlying ocean and land
- Understand the structure and air motions in tropical and mid-latitude cyclones, anticyclones and other types of low pressure systems
- Explain the fundamentals of weather forecasting
|
Reading List
The basic text for the course is 'Meteorology Today' (10th edition) by C. Donald Ahrens, Brooks/Cole Publishing, however the latest edition has become too expensive to buy. Some copies from members of previous year's class may be available for purchase. Earlier editions of this book (especially the 8th and 9th editions) are quite satisfactory.
For the less mathematical parts of the course: Introducing Meteorology: A Guide to Weather (Jon Shonk) £8.99 is a good read. 'Atmospheric Science' (2nd edition) by Wallace and Hobbs £47 (from Blackwells) is also useful and is more mathematical than Ahrens.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Ruth Doherty
Tel: (0131 6)50 6759
Email: ruth.doherty@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Rebecca Steele
Tel:
Email: Rebecca.Steele@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage