Weather 101 Syllabus:

Module 1: The Elements of the Sky From Top to Bottom

1The Invisible Properties of AirIn this lesson, we’ll dive right into basic properties of the atmosphere and the behavior of gases.
2Layers of the AtmosphereThe atmosphere is separated into different layers. We look at them and investigate the important functions of each.
3What’s in the Air?We’ll explore the composition of the atmosphere and how these gases affect life on earth.

Module 2: Why and How Air Moves-Part 1

1Air DensityThis lesson will apply some basic laws of physics to explain the nature of air, including the influence of temperature
2High and Low PressureWe’ll apply air density to the real world application of high and low pressure systems on weather maps.
3The Sun and EarthThe sun drives all the power behind the weather and it does so in a number of ways. We’ll explore a few of them!
4The Seasons ExplainedSummer, Fall, Winter, and Spring are all unique and we’ll examine the weather characteristics of each season.

Module 3: Why and How Air Moves-Part 2

1The Basics of WindThe forces of wind are felt more on some days than others. We’ll discover the causes of wind in this lesson.
2The Jet StreamHidden high above is a river of air known as the jet stream. You’ll learn why it’s so important to driving our weather.
3Coriolis EffectThe spin of the earth drives the spin of weather systems and I’ll explain how it works in this lesson.

Module 4: Drivers of the Water Cycle

1Fronts ExplainedFronts are basic features to most weather maps. This topic will explore the types of weather associated with each one!
2Water Cycle BasicsThe water cycle is critical to life on earth. From evaporation to precipitation, you’ll learn the main features.
3Ocean CyclesOceans are big drivers of weather and long term weather cycles. We’ll discover the main influences.

Module 5: The Life of Clouds

1The Mystery of Latent HeatLatent heat and the properties of water are critical to understanding the weather. This section is dedicated to that topic.
2Water in the AirThis lesson will explore the various ways we can measure water in the air and why it’s important in meteorology.
3Cloud Formation 101The formation of clouds is an interesting subject and one that affects us all. You’ll see how it happens in this lesson!
4Cloud TypesWe’ll explore the names of the clouds and what they do in this fun lesson.

Module 6: Precipitation Types

1Overview of PrecipitationIn this lesson, we’ll cover the topic of precipitation and all the factors that are needed to form it.
2SnowJust as the names says, this one is all about snow and the fun facts behind its formation!
3The Others…This lesson discusses all the other types of precipitation including freezing rain, sleet, and hail.

I’m Meteorologist Brian Karstens,

Welcome to Weatherworkshops.com, a place to learn about all things weather! As an AMS certified broadcast meteorologist for 25 years, I’ve forecasted and experienced some of the most extreme weather on the planet. It’s my hope these workshops will inform and enrich your knowledge of weather as I share my workshops with you!

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