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Ability to read a college level text, eligibility for English composition, Elementary Algebra

1.  Energy and Mass  
   1. Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere  
   2. Solar Radiation and the Seasons
   3. Energy Balance and Temperature
   4. Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
2. Water in the Atmosphere
   1. Atmospheric Moisture
   2. Cloud Development and Forms
   3. Precipitation Processes
3. Distribution and Movement of Air
   1. Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure Distributions
   2. Air Masses and Fronts  
4. Disturbances
   1. Midlatitude Cyclones
   2. Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
   3. Tropical Storms and Hurricanes
   4. Weather forecasting and analysis
5. Climate and Climate Change 
   1. Earth’s Climates and their distribution
   2. Climate Changes and their causes
   3. Past climates and projected future changes

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Explain the energy balance of the Earth-atmosphere system.
• Describe forces that cause atmospheric motion and resultant pressure patterns, wind systems and global circulation.
• Describe moisture, clouds and precipitation processes, and their distributions.
• Explain weather systems, distribution and extreme events
• Classify and interpret atmospheric data through weather maps, radar imagery and satellite data.
• Describe global climate distribution and causes and implications of climate change.

Objective and subjective midterm and final examinations. Reports or projects, homework problems, and/or laboratory reports.

Weather and climate (Aguado)
Meteorology today (Ahrens)
Weather studies (Moran)

Or other college level text as selected by the instructor.