meteorology

Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere, its processes, and the phenomena that influence weather and climate. It examines the physical and dynamical forces that govern atmospheric motion, including temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind, and cloud formation, and how these variables interact with the Earth's surface, oceans, and biosphere. The discipline encompasses both the causes of short-term weather events and patterns in climate, using observations, theory, and numerical models to predict future conditions and understand long-term trends.

Observational methods include ground-based weather stations, weather balloons (radiosondes), aircraft soundings, radar, lidar, and satellite remotely sensed data. These inputs feed numerical weather prediction models that solve equations of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics to forecast atmospheric states. Data assimilation techniques combine observations with model output to improve forecasts. Tools such as weather radars and satellites provide real-time views of storms and atmospheric structure.

Subfields cover a range of scales and phenomena: dynamic meteorology and synoptic meteorology study large-scale weather systems; boundary-layer meteorology focuses on interactions near the surface; cloud physics and convection examine precipitation processes; tropical meteorology, polar meteorology, and atmospheric chemistry address specific regions and chemical interactions; climatology studies long-term patterns and variability.

Applications include weather forecasting and warnings, aviation safety, agriculture, water resource management, and climate monitoring. The field has undergone rapid advancement with the development of numerical models, satellite technology, and global data-sharing networks; the World Meteorological Organization coordinates international cooperation in meteorological observations and services.