Our Fundamentals of Meteorology course is delivered by Dr Hilary Weller. It runs from October to December 2025.
This course starts with a brief description of the atmosphere, the global circulation and mid-latitude weather systems. You'll study theoretical concepts that help explain these descriptions. Then we use the theory to explain the dynamics of extratropical cyclones and fronts.
The theory topics are:
- Thermodynamics: first law of thermodynamics, thermodynamic processes and potential temperature
- Atmospheric moisture: mixing ratio, dew point temperature, relative humidity and the impact on the atmospheric stability
- Dynamics: forces acting on air parcels, pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, drag, forces in balance: hydrostatic, geostrophic and gradient wind
- Analysis of atmospheric state using a tephigram
- Temperature gradient effects: thermal wind balance and thermal advection
- Calculations using divergence and vorticity.
This Fundamentals of Meteorology course is developed from the Weather and Climate Fundamentals module.
There will be nine assessments with model answers.
Timetabled sessions (UK time, subject to confirmation)
- 1 October 2025, 13:00–1400
- 8 October 2025, 13:00–14:00
- 15 October 2025, 13:00–14:00
- 22 October 2025, 13:00–14:00
- 29 October 2025, 13:00-14:00
Then a break until
- 12 November 2025, 13:00–14:00
- 19 November 2025, 13:00–14:00
- 26 November 2025, 13:00–14:00
- 3 December 2025, 13:00-14:00
- 10 December 2025, 13:00-14:00
A joining link will be given to enrolled learners.
Prerequisites
Working knowledge of A level Maths, including:
- Integration and differentiation
- Trigonometry
- Vectors
- Exponentials and logarithms
- Quantities and units in mechanics
- Kinematics
- Forces and Newton’s laws
Some background knowledge of weather such as successful completion of the FutureLearn course Come Rain or Shine: Understanding the Weather.
Read the Terms and Conditions for Meteorology Online Courses.
Application
Apply by 8 September 2025.
Further Learning
Find out about the Department of Meteorology, the scheduled online courses and the open online courses.