Table of contents

Part 1: Air

Chapter 1. The atmosphere

• 1.1 Introduction
• 1.2 Origin of the atmosphere
• 1.3 Composition of air
• 1.4 Ozone in the upper atmosphere
• 1.5 Atmospheric pressure
• 1.6 Atmospheric temperature
• 1.7 Atmospheric electricity
• 1.8 Atmospheric structure.

Part 2: Energy

Chapter 2. Radiation

• 2.1 Kinds of radiation
• 2.2 Solar radiation reaching the Earth
• 2.3 Attenuation within the atmosphere
• 2.4 Radiation at ground level
• 2.5 Albedo
• 2.6 Ultra-violet radiation
• 2.7 Longwave radiation
• 2.8 Net radiation.

Chapter 3. Temperature

• 3.1 Temperature measurement
• 3.2 Screen temperatures
• 3.3 Seasonal changes
• 3.4 Daily changes
• 3.5 Ground temperatures
• 3.6 Frost
• 3.7 Urban temperatures .

Chapter 4. Evaporation

• 4.1 Changes of state
• 4.2 Vapour pressure and evaporation
• 4.3 Features of the evaporation process
• 4.4 Determining the evaporation rate
• 4.5 Various evaporation rates
• 4.6 Values of the evaporation rate
• 4.7 Dew.

Chapter 5. Energy balances

• 5.1 The energy-balance equation
• 5.2 Energy balances of large scale
• 5.3 Local energy balances
• 5.4 Altering the energy balance
• 5.5 The energy balance of the human body.

Part 3: Water

Chapter 6. Humidity

• 6.1 The hydrologic cycle
• 6.2 Describing the air's dampness
• 6.3 Measuring the air's humidity
• 6.4 Humidity at the surface
• 6.5 Humidity and human comfort
• 6.6 Humidity aloft.

Chapter 7. Atmospheric instability

• 7.1 Instability and feedback
• 7.2 Lapse rates
• 7.3 Instability of the atmosphere
• 7.4 Examples of instability
• 7.5 Tornadoes, dust-devils and waterspouts
• 7.6 Stable layers.

Chapter 8. Clouds

• 8.1 The formation of clouds
• 8.2 Cloud droplets
• 8.3 Categories and changes
• 8.4 Fog
• 8.5 Stratiform clouds
• 8.6 Cumuloform clouds
• 8.7 High clouds
• 8.8 Observing cloudiness
• 8.9 Amounts of cloud
• 8.10 Effects of clouds.

Chapter 9. Cloud processes

• 9.1 Clouds and rain
• 9.2 Raindrop nucleation
• 9.3 Cloud seeding
• 9.4 Raindrop growth
• 9.5 Thunderstorms
• 9.6 Cloud electricity
• 9.7 Global electricity
• 9.8 Hail.

Chapter 10. Precipitation

• 10.1 General
• 10.2 Rainfall intensity
• 10.3 Spatial variations
• 10.4 Variability of rainfall
• 10.5 Water balances
• 10.6 Floods
• 10.7 Droughts
• 10.8 Snow.

Chapter 11. Oceans

• 11.1 Oceans and climates
• 11.2 Ocean temperatures
• 11.3 Salinity
• 11.4 The Coriolis effect and the oceans
• 11.5 Ocean currents.

Part 4: Winds

Chapter 12. Global winds

• 12.1 Global surface winds
• 12.2 Factors governing global winds
• 12.3 Circulations within the atmosphere
• 12.4 The upper westerlies
• 12.5 Jet streams
• 12.6 Models of the general circulation
• 12.7 ENSO.

Chapter 13. Synoptic-scale winds

• 13.1 Introduction
• 13.2 Airmasses
• 13.3 Fronts
• 13.4 Lows
• 13.5 Tropical cyclones
• 13.6 Highs.

Chapter 14. Local winds

• 14.1 General
• 14.2 Sea breezes
• 14.3 Mountain winds
• 14.4 Turbulence
• 14.5 Wind energy
• 14.6 Sea waves
• 14.7 Air pollution.

Part 5: Applications

Chapter 15. Weather and climate change

• 15.1 Weather data
• 15.2 Weather forecasting
• 15.3 Past climates
• 15.4 Climates of the 20th century
• 15.5 Future climates.

Chapter 16. Southern climates

• 16.1 Climate classification
• 16.2 Antarctica
• 16.3 South America
• 16.4 South Africa
• 16.5 Australia
• 16.6 New Zealand
• 16.7 Conclusions.

Part 6: Supplements

Chapter 17. Acknowledgements

Chapter 18. References

Chapter 19. Index