Course Descriptions

Natural hazards is a survey of the natural events that affect the Earth including, severe thunderstorms, extreme hail events, lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, tsunami, earthquakes, and volcanic events.

Corequisite: It is recommended that students taking this course also take METR 1125 Natural Hazards Lab. The combination of this lecture and lab course is necessary to meet the core requirements for a science course.

Climatology is an introduction to the Earth's the basic physical concepts of weather and climate, the relationship between atmospheric processes and a variety of other aspects of our physical environment, Earth's history, agriculture, our economy, and society.

This course is a study of the composition, structure, and physical properties of the Earth's atmosphere. The course includes a study of the interaction of the Earth's atmosphere with the land, oceans, and life on Earth. Majors in Meteorology and Broadcast Meteorology must pass the course with at least a grade of C before taking upper-division Meteorology courses. Fee.

This course provides hands on experiments with a variety of meteorological measurement techniques and the instrumentation used in atmospheric sciences. The course will consist of laboratory and field work, and an associated lecture course. The course will introduce students to instrument calibration, deployment, and data acquisition in a laboratory and field environments. Students will become familiar with surface instrument operation fundamentals, deployment and analysis techniques. This course has a companion lecture course METR 3390 that must be taken concurrently.

Prerequisite: METR-1430 and MATH-2312 and MATH-2313 and MATH-3314 and PHYS-2305 and PHYS-2306

Corequisite: METR 3390

Mathematics course descriptions

The course explores the physics of the primary ground-based remote sensors used for operational monitoring of the atmosphere. The capabilities and limitations of the various systems will be studied to determine their impact on applications. The use and applications of remote sensors will include meteorological radar and wind profilers.

Prerequisites: GEOL 1321 and METR 1430

A survey forecast guidance products and the application of physical principles to weather forecasting and the interpretation and use of computer-generated forecast guidance products of the National Weather Service.

Prerequisites: METR 3315 and METR 3335

This course is a study of atmospheric processes that influence and play a part in the development and behavior of large-scale weather systems.

Prerequisites: METR 3360 and METR 3320

The course involves an application of physical principles to weather forecasting and the use and interpretation of computer-generated forecast guidance products of the National Weather Service. The course includes an introduction to the structure and dynamics of convective and mesoscale phenomena, including mesoscale convective systems, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, low-level jets, mountain waves, and hurricanes.

Prerequisites: METR 3360 and METR 3320

Severe weather involves a detailed descriptive account of the physical processes important in the formation of various severe and unusual weather phenomena including thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail storms, lightning, hurricanes, mid-latitude snowstorms, lake effect snows, atmospheric optical effects, and global climate change.

Prerequisites: METR 1430 and METR 1360

The course is an overview of hydrological processes with emphasis on the hydrological cycle, surface hydrology, groundwater hydrology, measurement techniques and interpretation of streamflow, precipitation, soil moisture, and rainfall runoff.

Prerequisites: METR 1360 and METR 1430

The course is a survey of the types of statistical weather data available for analysis and interpretation of climate and climate change. Statistical analysis includes an examination of observational data and manipulation of the data on various temporal and spatial scales.

Prerequisites: METR 1360 and METR 3310

This course deals with the design and implementation and use of GIS in decision-making and problem-solving in meteorology. This course will further the students’ understanding of how GIS can be implemented and utilized in weather-related operations areas.

Prerequisite: METR 3310

The course is a study of the theory and practice of weather analysis and forecasting, surface and upper air analysis, fronts and wave cyclones, satellite meteorology, sounding analysis, thermodynamic diagram, cross sections, forecasting, NMC models, MOS, radar meteorology, severe weather.

Prerequisite: METR 3310

The course focuses on applications of remote sensing of the atmosphere using satellite observations, including cloud detection and the retrieval of atmospheric temperature, and atmospheric moisture and ozone content. The course also teaches the interpretation of imagery collected from weather satellites.

Prerequisites: METR 1360 and METR 3310

This course will provide the meteorology student with knowledge of processes and mechanisms operating in the atmosphere and a perspective of their importance in the Earth/ocean/atmosphere system.  The course is taught in a lecture format and includes some numerical simulation of the phenomena described.  Students will become familiar with technology used to investigate atmospheric physics processes occurring in the atmosphere.

This course covers the basics of atmospheric dynamics Including conservation laws, development of the equations of motion, thermal wind, circulation and vorticity, geostrophy, quasi-geostophic motions, waves, and instabilities. It involves observational and theoretical analysis of all motion systems of meteorological significance including of the concepts of circulation and vorticity. Fundamental principles of physics are applied to explain the dynamical processes that operate in the Earth's atmosphere.

Prerequisite: METR 3325

This course examines different measurement techniques and the instrumentation used in atmospheric sciences. The course will consist of lecture, an associated laboratory and field work. The course will introduce students to the fundamentals of instrument response, techniques of instrument calibration, deployment, and data acquisition. Students will become familiar with instrument specifications, fundamental operation, surface and upper-air measurement techniques. Remote sensing instruments such as Satellites, SODAR and Radar, will be introduced in preparation for METR 3310: Radar Meteorology and METR 3360: Satellite Meteorology. This course has a companion lab course METR 3190 that must be taken concurrently.   This is a required course for those who are seeking a Bachelor of Science degree in the Meteorology and Broadcast Meteorology programs.  Course audience level is junior or senior.

Prerequisite: METR 1430, MATH 2312, MATH 2313, MATH 3314, PHYS 2305, and PHYS 2306

Corequisite: METR 3190

Mathematics course descriptions

This course provides the student with the opportunity to explore an area of their interest within the field of meteorology through directed research.  The topic is a joint agreement of the student and the sponsoring Atmospheric Science and Physics Department faculty member.  It must be within the scope of the science of meteorology and focus on the integration of material learned during the university experience.  It may include an internship to investigate the problem. 

The course explores the physics and chemistry of air pollution in the Earth’s atmosphere. Topics covered throughout the course include types of air pollutants, local and global distribution of pollutants, production and transport mechanisms of pollutants, and pollution sinks. The effects of air pollution will also be examined including the monitoring, surveillance, and management of air quality.

Prerequisites: GEOL 1321 and METR 1430

The course involves the study and applications of computer models to predict short-term and long-term climate changes on the Earth. Topics covered include the use and application of models to predict short-term (10 to 50 years) changes in temperature and precipitation at local and regional levels, longer-term (50 to 100 years) changes in concentrations of selected atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, and long-term changes (greater than 100 years) in global climate including changes in concentrations in greenhouse gases, global warming, sea level, and sea surface temperature.

Prerequisites: GEOL 1321 and METR 1430

Micrometeorology is the detailed study of physical meteorological phenomena taking place in the lowest layers of the earth’s atmosphere. This is the region where human, animal and plant activity predominate and dramatic thermodynamic and kinematic processes take place. The development of micrometeorology as an exact science requires interpretation of detailed observations of the layers of air closest to the earth’s surface and the examination of the physical processes that produce microclimates. The earth’s boundary layer plays a central role in the exchange of heat, moisture, momentum, trace gases and aerosols between land, ocean and ice surfaces, in cloud formations and in the general circulation of the atmosphere. The motion of air over a surface of varying shape and temperature is often turbulent and generates mixing in the boundary layer. This characteristic due to turbulence in the boundary layer has vast implications for the distribution of heat, particles, aerosols and moisture around the world. Climate and numerical forecast models depend upon accurate knowledge of the conditions within the boundary layer. 

Prerequisites: METR 3315 and METR 3325

This course will explore the theories of clouds development from a microphysical perspective. Both types of precipitation physics will be covered, warm cloud processes and clod cloud processes. The topics of nucleation and particle growth will be examined. The subject of weather modification will be addresses for a variety of precipitation types such as warm clouds, sub-freezing clouds, hail, and fog. Other topics to be addressed are lightning suppression, hurricane modification, extended area effects, and large scale weather modification