Meteorology

THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE

	1	Composition and physical properties
	2	Vertical structure
	3	Standard atmosphere
	4	Density and pressure
	5	Expansion and compression

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

	1	Units of measurement
	2	Station pressure
	3	Sea level pressure
	4	Pressure systems and their variations
	5	Effects of temperature
	6	Isobars

METEOROLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ALTIMETRY

•	1	Pressure altitude
•	2	Density altitude
•	3	Altimeter settings
•	4	Considerations when flying to/from high to low pressure or temperature areas

TEMPERATURE

•	1	Heating and cooling of the atmosphere - convection, advection and radiation
	2	Horizontal differences
•	3	Temperature variations with altitude
•	4	Inversions
	5	Isothermal layers

MOISTURE

•	1	Relative humidity and dewpoint
	2	Sublimation and condensation
	3	Cloud formation
	4	Precipitation
	5	Saturated and dry adiabatic lapse rate

STABILITY AND INSTABILITY

	1	Lapse rate and stability
	2	Modification of stability
•	3	Characteristics of stable and unstable air
	4	Surface heating and cooling
•	5	Lifting processes
	6	Subsidence and convergence

CLOUDS

	1	Classification
	2	Formation and structure
•	3	Types and recognition
•	4	Associated precipitation and turbulence

SURFACE BASED LAYERS

•	1	Fog formation
•	2	Fog types (including mist)
	3	Haze and smoke
	4	Blowing obstruction to vision

TURBULENCE

WIND

	1	Definition
•	2	Pressure gradient
	3	Deflection caused by the earth's rotation
•	4	Low level winds - variation in surface wind
	5	Friction
•	6	Veer/back
	7	Squall/gusts
	8	Diurnal effects
	9	Land and sea breezes
	10	Katabatic and anabatic effects
•	11	Topographical effects
•	12	Wind shear - types, causes

AIR MASSES

	1	Definition and characteristics
	2	Formation and classification
	3	Modification
	4	Factors that determine weather
	5	Seasonal and geographic effects
	6	Air masses affecting North America

FRONTS

AIRCRAFT ICING

THUNDERSTORMS

•	1	Requirements for development
	2	Structure and development
	3	Types - air mass and frontal
•	4	Hazards - Updrafts, downdrafts, gust fronts, downbursts, microbursts, hail and lightning
	5	Squall lines

HURRICANES AND TORNADOES

Hazards

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO PILOTS

	1	Aviation Weather Information Services (AWIS)
	2	Aviation Weather Briefing Service (AWBS)
	3	Flight Service Stations (FSS) and Flight Information Centres
	4	Pilot's Automatic Telephone Weather Answering Service (PATWAS)
	5	Aviation Weather Web Site (AWWS)
	6	Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)

AVIATION WEATHER REPORTS

•	1	Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) - decoding
	2	Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS)
	3	Pilot Reports (PIREP)

AVIATION FORECASTS

•	1	Times issued and period of coverage
•	2	Decoding
•	3	Graphical Area Forecast (GFA)
•	4	Terminal Area Forecast (TAF)
•	5	Upper Winds and Temperature Forecast (FD)
	6	Airman's Meteorological Advisory (AIRMET)
•	7	Significant In-flight Weather Warning Message (SIGMET)

WEATHER MAPS AND PROGNOSTIC CHARTS

	1	Times issued and period of coverage
	2	Symbols and decoding
	3	Surface weather map
	4	Upper air charts - weather Information to 700 mb Level
	5	Prognostic surface charts

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