ATMO SCI

Atmospheric Science is a college-level, project-based course presents the principles of meteorology with a focus on weather forecasting and climatology. Topics include atmospheric structure, radiation and energy imbalances, air pressure, humidity and atmospheric moisture, atmospheric stability, precipitation and cloud formation, circulation systems, severe weather, ocean currents and ocean transport, and climate change. Relying on their previous scientific knowledge and using real-time weather data, students develop a deeper understanding of the processes that govern atmospheric motion.

Atmospheric Science Activities and Labs

  • Understanding Patterns

  • Numerical Models Analysis

  • Albedo Lab

  • Local Air Pollution Lab

  • Relative Humidity Lab

  • Greenhouse Gas Activity

  • Very Simple Climate Model Activity

  • Advanced Climate Scenario Activity

  • Global Water Vapor Patterns Activity

  • Adiabatic Temperatures and Cloud Formations

Projects

​Your Weekend Weather
Weather forecasting is mainly concerned with the prediction of weather conditions in the future.  There are a variety of approaches to weather forecasting, from simple observations of the sky to highly complex computerized mathematical models.  While some may poke fun at weather forecasting, algorithms offer a key tool in the analysis of current weather data.  In this chapter, the use of algorithms as a tool for forecasting will be discussed.  While the government and private sectors may provide forecasts for public information and for profit, respectively, students in the senior elective, Atmospheric Science, use algorithms to research, write, film and produce a weekend weather forecast.  The forecasting project serves as a mechanism by which students apply the forecasting skills they learn in class to real-world scenarios and as a means by which students receive authentic feedback on their work.  This chapter outlines this innovative project.