Undergraduate Course: Meteorology: Atmosphere and Environment (METE08001)
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 the physical processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. Interpretation of weather maps and satellite images, cloud types and formation, atmospheric structure, thermodynamic processes, rain formation, solar and terrestrial radiation, energy balance at the surface, cumulus and cumulonimbus convection, and air pollution. |
| Course description |
Syllabus
Week 1: Overview, introduction to weather maps and satellite imagery
Weeks 2-3: Atmospheric structure, meteorological observations, interpreting charts
Week 4: Air masses, weather fronts and weather forecasts
Week 5: Clouds and precipitation
Weeks 6-7: Vertical profiles through the atmosphere: physics, stability, thunderstorms
Weeks 8-9: Atmospheric radiation, surface energy balance, rainbows
Week 10: Air pollution, Extreme Events course review
Further course information can be found at the following links:
https://path.is.ed.ac.uk/courses/METE08001_SV1_SEM1
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/24-25/dpt/cxmete08001.htm
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | it is recommended that students have some background in maths/physics (e.g., A-level/Scottish Higher)
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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:
- Use and evaluate numerical and graphical meteorological data, e.g., interpret weather maps in terms of local weather; plot and interpret vertical temperature and moisture soundings; observe, code and plot weather elements in standard format;
- Describe atmospheric composition and structure, including the layers of the atmosphere from the surface to 100 km, and be able to describe the basic processes occurring in the atmospheric boundary layer and recognise cloud types and describe their formation mechanisms;
- Describe and explain the structure, physics and dynamics of thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail formation;
- Explain the basic physics of atmospheric processes, such as radiation at the surface, water in the atmosphere and its phase changes, and air masses and weather fronts;
- Synthesize and interpret meteorological data, including satellite imagery, and summarise in a professional way within an assignment
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Reading List
Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey (2nd Ed), J.M. Wallace and P.V. Hobbs
Weather: A Concise Introduction, G. Hakim and J. Patoux
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Semester 1
Lectures: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Practical classes: choose one of Monday, Tuesday or Thursday |
| Keywords | Met A&E |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Massimo Bollasina
Tel: (0131 6)51 3464
Email: Massimo.Bollasina@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Rebecca Steele
Tel:
Email: Rebecca.Steele@ed.ac.uk |
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