Course Identification

It is recommended to take this course after completion of the course Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics or equivalent.

In this course we will outline the main dynamical and physical processes governing weather systems, their impact, climatology and prediction.

1. Basic laws - recap: equations of motion, continuity equation, equation of state, thermodynamical relations
2. Scale analysis, hydrostatic approximation, geostrophic approximation, thermal wind
3. Quasi-geostrophic (QG) theory: vorticity, vertical motion
4. QG potential vorticity (PV)
5. Ertel PV, isentropic PV charts
6. Baroclinic instability
7. Weather systems, PV thinking and extratropical cyclones, Lagrangian and Eulerian perspectives
8. Evaporation, precipitation
9. Coupling of weather systems to the hydrological cycle
10. Diabatic processes and weather extremes
11. Numerical weather prediction and forecast challenges
12. Weather in a changing climate

Upon completion of the course, students will understand

1. Principle theoretical concepts behind observed meteorological patterns

2. Outstanding challenges in numerical weather prediction of extratropical weather systems

Books for introduction and further reading:

• Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey. John M. Wallace and Peter V. Hobbs. Second edition, 2006. https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780127329512/atmospheric-science
• An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology, James R. Holton and Gregory J. Hakim. Fifth edition, 2013.

https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.weizmann.ac.il/book/9780123848666/an-introduction-to-dynamic-meteorology

• Mid-Latitude Atmospheric Dynamics: A First Course, Jonathan E. Martin. 2006.

https://weizmann.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/972WIS_INST/na0t2c/alma993346466703596

• Midlatitude Synoptic Meteorology / Dynamics, Analysis, and Forecasting, Gary Lackmann