This course is intended for the student who wishes to obtain an understanding of weather patterns worldwide, or who is looking for a greater depth of weather knowledge for general interest and satisfaction. It broadens the knowledge gained from the introductory course, Fundamentals of Weather, and so it assumes a certain knowledge of the elementary principles of weather. For those who already have an understanding of the basics, Global Weather can be taken independently.

The course will cover worldwide air circulation patterns, air masses, and weather systems found outside our Canadian waters. As with Fundamentals of Weather, this course is presented in a straightforward form which avoids much of the technical "jargon", while explaining clearly the key processes involved.

Detailed Course Outline

1. 1.0 Equilibrium in the Atmosphere
   • 1.1 General
   • 1.2 Stability and Instability - Definitions
   • 1.3 What causes stability and instability ?
   • 1.4 The adiabatic process
   • 1.5 Relationship between the environment and vertically moving air
   • 1.6 Dry and Saturated adiabatic lapse rates
   • 1.7 The Chinook
   • 1.8 Equilibrium and the weather
   • 1.9 How medium and upper level clouds are formed
2. 2.0 General Circulation
   • 2.1 General
   • 2.2 Terrestrial circulation: Development of Hadley and Ferrel Cells
   • 2.3 Primary High and Low Pressure regions
   • 2.4 Primary Global Wind Systems
   • 2.5 El Nino and La Nina
   • 2.6 Rossby Waves - The great eddies
   • 2.7 Jet Streams
   • 2.8 Secondary Wind Systems - Monsoons
   • 2.9 Mid-latitude Storm Zones
   • 2.10 Local Winds
3. 3.0 Air Masses
   • 3.1 General
   • 3.2 Source Regions of Air Masses
   • 3.3 Classification of Air Masses
   • 3.4 Air Mass Characteristics
   • 3.5 Modification of Air Masses
   • 3.6 Winter Air Masses
   • 3.7 Summer Air Masses
   • 3.8 Weather changes caused by seasonal and surface modification
   • 3.9 Lake effect snow
   • 3.10 Permanent Fronts between major air masses
4. 4.0 Extra-Tropical Cyclones
   • 4.1 What is a cyclone ?
   • 4.2 Air Masses on the move
   • 4.3 Why are frontal surfaces sloping ?
   • 4.4 Development of a frontal depression
   • 4.5 Weather in the extra-tropical regions of the southern hemisphere
5. 5.0 Tropical Cyclones
   • 5.1 Difference between tropical cyclones and extra-tropical cyclones
   • 5.2 Stages of development
   • 5.3 Hurricane
   • 5.4 Classification of hurricanes
   • 5.5 Formation and structure of a hurricane
   • 5.6 The eye of the hurricane
   • 5.7 Signs of the approach of a hurricane
   • 5.8 Sailor beware !
   • 5.9 Dangerous and navigable semi-circles. Using a "storm card."
   • 5.10 Land Ho ! Effects of hurricane on reaching landfall
   • 5.11 A tip for the navigator
   • 5.12 The hurricane moves on
   • 5.13 How does a tropical cyclone finally end ?
   • 5.14 Forecasting tropical cyclones
   • 5.15 No two hurricanes are the same
6. 6.0 Forecasting (Advanced)
   • 6.1 Now we put it all together
   • 6.2 The professional weather map - surface and upper air information
   • 6.3 How do we select which forecast to use ?
   • 6.4 Offshore sailing
   • 6.5 Using the forecast
   • 6.6. Local weather
   • 6.7 Forecasting from visual observations - the single observer
   • 6.8 Your observation data in detail
   • 6.9. The moment of truth ! - now to make a good forecast
   • 6.10. In conclusion
7. 7.0 Final Review and Examination