Introduction to Meteorology and Atmospheric Science

The science of the atmosphere, its processes, and weather.

Short-term atmospheric conditions, like rain or sunshine.

Long-term average weather patterns in a region.

The layer of gases surrounding a planet, held by gravity.

Large body of air with similar temperature and moisture.

Boundaries between different air masses with different properties.

Force exerted by the weight of air molecules.

Results from differences in atmospheric pressure.

The mass of water vapor in a given volume of air (grams per cubic meter).

The pressure exerted by water vapor in the atmosphere.

The ratio of current water vapor to the maximum amount of vapor air can hold at a given temperature (percentage).

The condition where air holds the maximum amount of water vapor possible at a given temperature.

The temperature at which air becomes saturated, and water vapor condenses into liquid.

Clouds above 20,000 feet.

Thin, wispy clouds.

Clouds form when moist air rises, cools, and reaches the dew point, causing condensation around particles.

A large body of air that forms over land, characterized by dryness. It is often associated with cool or cold temperatures.

A large body of air that forms over oceans, characterized by high moisture content. It typically brings humid and often warm conditions.

A boundary where a cold air mass pushes into a region of warm air, causing abrupt changes in weather like thunderstorms and strong winds.

A boundary where a warm air mass advances into a cooler air mass, leading to gradual weather changes like steady precipitation and warmer temperatures.

When neither air mass is strong enough to displace the other, resulting in prolonged periods of cloudy or rainy weather.

Forms when a cold front catches up to a warm front, leading to complex weather patterns including rain, snow, and sometimes thunderstorms.

Towering, powerful cumulus clouds associated with thunderstorms, heavy rain, and sometimes hail. They have a distinctive anvil shape at the top.

Warm, moist air rises, cools, and condenses, releasing heat, causing the formation of thunderstorms, which can bring heavy rain and lightning.

Rising air in thunderstorms creates strong updrafts that can generate lightning, heavy rainfall, and even hail.

Thunderstorms pose several hazards, including lightning strikes, heavy rain leading to flash flooding, damaging hail, and strong winds.

Tornadoes form when warm, moist air collides with cold, dry air, creating violent wind shear and rotating columns of air, intensified by severe thunderstorms.

Tornadoes can unleash destructive winds exceeding 300 km/h, capable of destroying buildings and infrastructures, and flying debris posing a significant threat to life and property.

Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones form over warm ocean waters (above 26°C), fueled by the latent heat of water vapor evaporating from the ocean surface.

These powerful storms can bring strong winds causing structural damage and power outages, storm surges leading to coastal flooding, and heavy rainfall resulting in widespread flooding.

The Philippines is located in the Pacific typhoon belt, making it one of the most typhoon-prone countries. PAGASA tracks and forecasts typhoons, using a signal system to indicate wind strength and potential impact.

Satellites capture images of cloud cover, storm systems, and weather patterns from space, providing real-time data to meteorologists to track and predict weather changes.

Geostationary satellites are used by PAGASA to track typhoons in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), providing timely warnings to the public and government.

Doppler radar tracks precipitation intensity, wind direction, and speed. It detects the motion of precipitation particles, helping to identify storm rotation and rainfall amounts.

Weather stations collect local weather data like temperature, humidity, wind speed, and air pressure. This data is used to predict local weather conditions and support weather warnings.

Supercomputers simulate the atmosphere using complex mathematical models. They process data on temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind patterns to predict weather events up to several days in advance.

Isobars are lines on a weather map that connect areas of equal atmospheric pressure. They are used to identify high and low-pressure systems, which drive wind and weather patterns.

Isotherms are lines that connect points of equal temperature on a map. They help meteorologists understand temperature gradients and predict fronts or temperature changes.

Typhoon track maps display the predicted path of typhoons. PAGASA provides these maps to warn regions that may be affected by an incoming typhoon.

Typhoon maps also show potential storm surges, indicating areas that could experience flooding from rising sea levels.

The warming of Earth's atmosphere caused by greenhouse gases trapping heat. This natural process is essential for life but has been intensified by human activities.

Gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.

Coal, oil, and natural gas formed from ancient organic matter. Burning these fuels releases greenhouse gases, contributing significantly to climate change.

The clearing of forests for other land uses, reducing the planet's ability to absorb CO₂ and exacerbating the greenhouse effect.

Energy sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal that are naturally replenished, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.

Planting trees to replace those lost due to deforestation, helping absorb CO₂ and mitigate climate change impacts.

Adjusting to the actual and expected effects of climate change. This includes preparing for more extreme weather events and strengthening infrastructure.

An extremely powerful typhoon in 2013, potentially intensified by a changing climate, highlighting the severe impacts of climate change.