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CLI1110 Weather and Climate

Semester 1, 2022 Toowoomba On-campus
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Agriculture and Environmental Science
Grading basis : Graded
Course fee schedule : /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules

Staffing

Examiner:

Overview

The study of weather and climate is recognised as an important inclusion for any student intent on understanding impacts of climate change and climate variability. Weather and climate have large effects in many world regions and influence many societal activities. A better understanding of the global weather and climate systems and their impacts aids the sustainable development of our society and utilisation of natural resources. Knowledge of the concepts of weather and climate is fundamental to any broad appreciation of applied meteorology and climatology and their contribution to sustainable environmental management and resource utilisation.

This course is an introductory descriptive level course that introduces participants to the weather and climate systems of the world, outlining the global and regional processes down to the synoptic scale weather systems, and describes the structure of the global climate system. Weather and climate drive the composition of our natural environment and impact upon many aspects of human endeavour. After completing the course students will be able to demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for the complexity of the world's and Australia's climate and weather systems and will be able to use their knowledge in order to comprehend and debate future climate change and variability. Access to the internet is required.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. describe general atmospheric and oceanic circulation systems, regional and local climate mechanisms;
  2. apply simple concepts to the areas of the atmospheric structure, local ocean and atmosphere circulation systems, and the basic principles of atmosphere and ocean motion;
  3. describe the major non-seasonal climate mechanisms that lead to departures from anticipated weather and climate pattern;
  4. describe the practical benefits of weather and climate studies in areas as agricultural climatology and applications;
  5. demonstrate an understanding of weather and climate forecasting.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. The global setting 10.00
2. Structure of the atmosphere and ocean 20.00
3. Horizontal motion of the atmosphere and ocean 15.00
4. Synoptic circulations 15.00
5. Weather and climate of Australia 10.00
6. Seasonal and non-seasonal variations in climate 20.00
7. Introduction to applied climatology and meteorology 10.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

Sturman, A P and Tapper, N J 2005, The Weather and Climate of Australia and New Zealand, 2nd edn, Oxford 精东传媒app Press, Melbourne.

Student workload expectations

To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.

Assessment details

Approach Type Description Group
Assessment
Weighting (%) Course learning outcomes
Assignments Written Essay 1 No 30 1,2,3
Assignments Written Essay 2 No 30 4,5
Examinations Non-invigilated Time limited online examinatn No 40 1,2,3,4,5
Date printed 10 February 2023