38:250 Weather and Climate
Instructor: Dr. Dion J. Wiseman
Office: Brodie Room 4-07
Office Hours: M, W, F; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm via Zoom; or by Appointment
Phone/Text: (204) 727-9774
Email: wiseman@brandonu.ca
Course Resources
Recommended Text:
Ross, Sheila. Weather and Climate: an introduction, 1st edition. Oxford University Press, 2013.
Course Description
This course is an introductory physical geography course that investigates processes operating in the atmosphere that determine weather and climate. There are three broad areas of study: 1) processes in the atmosphere, which determine temperature, precipitation, etc.; 2) atmosphere in motion, which determines the actual weather; and 3) environmental challenges such as air pollution and climate change. First, we examine the structure of our planet’s atmosphere, and then we add movement to the system before we delve into topics of global concern such as air pollution and climate change.
Grading Scheme
| Test I | 25%* | > 90% | A+ | 70 – 72% | B- | ||
| Test II | 25%* | 85 – 89% | A | 67 – 69% | C+ | ||
| Quizzes/Assignments | 25%# | 80 – 84% | A- | 63 – 66% | C | ||
| Final | 25%* | 77 – 79% | B+ | 60 – 62% | C- | ||
| Total | 100% | 73 – 76% | B | 50 – 59% | D | ||
| Optional Extra Credit Assignment 3% | < 50% | F | |||||
* Variably weighted, best exam vs. worst exam +/- 5 percent.
# Best x-2/x are counted for marks. For example, if there are 15 quizzes, the best 13 out of 15 will be counted for marks.
Tentative Course Outline
| Topic | Description | Chapter(s) |
| 1 | Composition and Behavior of the Atmosphere | 1, 2, 3 |
| 2 | Energy and Radiation Balances | 4, 5, 6 |
| Test 1 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH | |
| 3 | Humidity and Adiabatic Lapse Rates | 7 & 8 |
| 4 | Condensation and Precipitation | 9 & 10 |
| Test 2 | FRIDAY, MARCH 15TH | |
| 5 | Global Atmospheric Circulation and Local Winds | 11 & 12 |
| 6 | Air Masses, Fronts, and Mid-latitude Cyclones | 13 & 14 |
| 7 | Weather Forecasting | 15 |
| 8 | Global Climate Systems | 16 |
| 9 | The Changing Atmosphere | 17 |
| Final | April 13, 9 AM; Rm 1-53 Brodie Bldg. |
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