Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere

Essentials of Meteorology is written for students taking an introductory course on the atmospheric environment. The main purpose of the text is to convey meteorological concepts in a visual, practical, and nonmathematical manner. In addition, the intent of the book is to stimulate curiosity in the reader and to answer questions about weather and climate that arise in our day-to-day lives. Although introductory in nature, this sixth edition maintains scientific integrity and includesup-to-date information on important topics, such as global warming, ozone depletion, and El Nino. Discus­sion of weather events, such as the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina over portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama during August, 2005, as well as the devastating fires associated with strong Santa Ana winds that roared through areas of Southern California during October, 2007.Written expressly for the student, this book emphasizes the understanding and application of meteorological principles. The text encourages watching the weather so that it becomes “alive,” allowing readers to immediately apply textbook material to the world around them. To assist with this endeavor, a color Cloud Chart appears at the back of the text. The Cloud Chart can be separated from the book and used as a learning tool at any place one chooses to observe the sky. To strengthen points and clarify concepts, illustrations are rendered in full color throughout. Color photographs were carefully selected to illustrate features, stimulate interest, and show how exciting the study of weather can be.This edition, organized into fifteen chapters, is designed to provide maximum flexibility to instructors of weather and climate courses. Thus, chapters can be covered in any desired order. For example, Chapter 15,“Light, Color, and Atmospheric Optics,” is self-contained and can be covered earlier if so desired. Instructors, then, are able to tailor this text to their particular needs. This book basically follows a traditional approach. After an introductory chapter on the origin, composition, and structure of the atmosphere, it covers solar energy, and air temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and winds. Then comes a chapter on air masses, fronts, and middlelatitude cyclonic storms. Weather prediction and severe storms are next. A chapter on hurricanes is followed by a chapter on global climate. A chapter on climate change is next. A chapter on air pollution precedes the final chapter on atmospheric optics.Each chapter contains at least two Focus sections, which either expand on material in the main text or explore a subject closely related to what is being discussed. Focus sections fall into one of three distinct