Thermodynamic Meteorology
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- Languages: English
- Completion Time: Varies
- Topics:
Other
Description
Thermodynamics focuses on the physical processes meteorology with specific focus on heat. Topics covered include the 1st and 2nd law of thermodynamics, hydrostatics, moisture and phase change and stability. Thermodynamic diagrams are included to help explain and demonstrate these processes.
Goals and Objectives
Overview
Course Outline
Additional Resources
Course Outline
Foundational Concepts
Instrumentation and Measurement of Atmospheric Temperature Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2017-10-03
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Other
(190 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson offers a comprehensive overview of temperature measurement as related to the atmosphere and the ideal gas law, a fundamental component of thermodynamics.
Introduction to Tropical Meteorology, 2nd Edition, Chapter 5: The Distribution of Moisture and Precipitation Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2010-12-22
Last Updated On: 2016-03-04
Skill Level: 1
Topics:
Climate, Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology, Satellite Meteorology, Tropical/Hurricanes
(202 ratings)- Description & Location:
Chapter 5 contains an overview of adiabatic processes, and Chapter 6 contains information about vertical heat exchange and diabatic processes. Other chapters may provide additional supporting material so view the table of contents for an overview of the additional topics covered.
First & Second Laws of Thermodynamics
Topics in Lake Effect Snow Forecasting Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2005-02-09
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Winter Weather
(167 ratings)- Description & Location:
Topic 1 in this lesson, "Basic Ingredients to Lake/Ocean Effect snow", focuses on topics like instability and lifting mechanisms that apply to the first law of thermodynamics.
Barrier Jet Forecasting: Eastern Foothills and High Plains of Colorado, 17-20 March 2003 Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2006-07-27
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Mountain Meteorology, QPF/QPE (Precip), Winter Weather
(65 ratings)- Description & Location:
The lesson emphasizes the mechanisms for producing both very large accumulations and extreme small-scale variability. The "Supporting Topics" section contains information on the thermodynamic impacts of barrier jets, including diabatic cooling, lapse rate influence and precipitation type impacts.
Snowmelt Processes: International Edition Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2011-01-04
Skill Level: 1
Topics:
Environment and Society, Hydrology/Flooding
(173 ratings)- Description & Location:
The "Snow Energy Exchange" section discusses latent heat exchange.
Primary Influences on Water Temperature for Inland Streams Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2014-07-08
Last Updated On: 2014-06-18
Skill Level: 1
Topics:
Climate, Environment and Society
(160 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson uses the heat equation on rivers, but can be adjusted to work in the atmosphere as well.
Satellite Feature Identification: Conveyor Belts Optional
Languages: English, French, Spanish, German
Publish Date: 2014-03-18
Last Updated On: 2017-02-13
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Satellite Meteorology
(175 ratings)- Description & Location:
Conveyor belts highlight important atmospheric processes that can be advantageous for making forecasts. They can be used for identifying general temperature patterns, predicting moisture return, and evaluating stability. Students will be able to analyze Theta-E on maps.
Hydrostatic Concepts
Instrumentation and Measurement of Atmospheric Pressure Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2018-06-26
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Other
(123 ratings)- Description & Location:
The lesson reviews the key physical laws governing atmospheric pressure, including Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures and the hydrostatic equation.
Topics in Dynamic Meteorology: Thermal Wind Optional
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Publish Date: 2012-03-20
Last Updated On: 2016-06-17
Skill Level: 1
Topics:
Other
(327 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson explores the dynamic links between temperature, pressure, and wind in the atmosphere, including hydrostatic balance. The qualitative description of the relationships is augmented with "Math Sidebars" that provide a quantitative treatment. Numerous applications to climatology and forecasting conclude the lesson.
Frontogenetical Circulations and Stability Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2007-10-24
Skill Level: 3
Topics:
Mesoscale Meteorology
(43 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson focuses on the different stability types, including convective, potential, inertial, conditional and symmetric, the concept of frontogenesis and associated circulations.
NWP Essentials: Structure and Dynamics Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2015-04-08
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Numerical Modeling (NWP)
(106 ratings)- Description & Location:
Section 2 covers hydrostatic vs. non-hydrostatic models and the underlying processes and considerations of hydrostatic balance.
Fog: Its Processes and Impacts to Aviation and Aviation Forecasting Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2010-10-12
Last Updated On: 2012-04-17
Skill Level: 1
Topics:
Aviation Weather, Fog and Low Stratus
(338 ratings)- Description & Location:
The "Fog Processes" section discusses stability and its importance to fog development.
Impact of Model Structure and Dynamics - version 2 Optional
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Publish Date: 2009-11-24
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Numerical Modeling (NWP)
(121 ratings)- Description & Location:
The "Model Type" section contains the primative equations, including the hydrostatic equation. Topics also include temperature and moisture in models, and fundamental differences between hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic models.
Mesoscale Banded Precipitation Optional
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2005-06-24
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Mesoscale Meteorology, Winter Weather
(167 ratings)- Description & Location:
The lesson starts with a review of the Norwegian and conveyor belt cyclone models. Then several banding processes are examined in detail along with CSI/slantwise convection and melting/evaporation-induced circulations.
Thermodynamics and Moisture in the Atmosphere
Forecasting Aviation Icing: Icing Type and Severity Optional
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Publish Date: 1998-03-13
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Aviation Weather, Winter Weather
(227 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson discusses the current theories of atmospheric conditions associated with aircraft icing and applies the theories to the icing diagnosis and forecast process. The development of ice and the process is looked at from a thermodynamic diagrams.
Dynamics & Microphysics of Cool-Season Orographic Storms Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2004-08-09
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Mesoscale Meteorology, Mountain Meteorology, QPF/QPE (Precip), Winter Weather
(137 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson provides an overview of cool-season orographic precipitation processes in several mountain ranges, and a look at forecasting tools and techniques. Section two reviews moisture concepts involved in precipitation development and growth.
Topics in Precipitation Type Forecasting Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2005-09-27
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Winter Weather
(249 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson presents an overview of various aspects of precipitation type forecasting, inncluding detailed information on moisture and the ice crystal process, and the usage of thermodynamic diagrams to predict precipitation type using partial thickness analysis and top-down methods.
Freezing and Melting, Precipitation Type, and Numerical Weather Prediction Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2002-07-03
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Numerical Modeling (NWP), Winter Weather
(75 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson reviews the basic thermodynamics of freezing and melting and how operational models represent these processes.
Thermodynamic Diagrams
NWS JetStream: Online School for Weather Optional
This content is not hosted on MetEd.
Languages: English
Publish Date: 2016-12-21
Skill Level: 0
Topics:
Emergency Management, Environment and Society, Mesoscale Meteorology
(3 ratings)- Description & Location:
The "Upper Air" section discusses Skew-Ts in detail with an interactive lesson showing the different lines on the diagram.
Principles of Convection I: Buoyancy and CAPE Optional
Languages: English, Russian, Spanish, French, Greek
Publish Date: 2002-07-24
Last Updated On: 2016-03-09
Skill Level: 1
Topics:
Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology
(1769 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson provides a brief overview of Buoyancy and CAPE. Topics covered include the origin of atmospheric buoyancy, estimating buoyancy using the CAPE and Lifted Index, factors that affect buoyancy including entrainment of mid-level air, water loading, convective inhibition, and the origin of convective downdrafts.
Mesoscale Convective Systems: Squall Lines and Bow Echoes Optional
Languages: English
Publish Date: 1999-05-28
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology
(188 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson presents current conceptual models of several MCS types and provides explanations for the structures and behavior of MCSs based on the physical processes underlying their evolution. System formation is conducted via analysis and thermodynamic diagrams.
Skew-T Mastery
Languages: English, Spanish
Publish Date: 2006-10-04
Last Updated On: 2020-04-15
Skill Level: 2
Topics:
Convective Weather, Mesoscale Meteorology, Other
(1235 ratings)- Description & Location:
This lesson comprehensively examines the use of the skew-T diagram. It explores thermodynamic properties, convective parameters, stability assessment, and several forecast applications. It comes with an interactive Web-based skew-T diagram that calculates several common forecast parameters.
The Tephigram Mastery lesson contains the same content using tephigram diagrams.
