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Dynamical meteorology 2

2025/2026
Programme:
Physics, Second Cycle
Orientation:
Astrophysics
Year:
2 year
Semester:
second
Kind:
optional
ECTS:
8
Language:
slovenian
Course director:
Lecturer (contact person):
Hours per week – 2. semester:
Lectures
3
Seminar
1
Tutorial
2
Lab
0
Prerequisites

Passed problem-solving written examination and seminar work is a prerequisite for the theoretical part of the examination.

Content (Syllabus outline)

Definition of mesoscale processes
Boussinesq approximation
Dynamics at fronts: Semi-geostrophic
equations. Cross-frontal circulation.
Frontogenetic function. Frontogenesis and Q
vector. Sawyer-Eliassen equation. Geostrophic
paradox.
Mesoscale instabilities.
Symetrical instability
Mesoscale wave motions: Non-dispersive
wave solutions. Internal gravity waves. TaylorGoldstein equation. Orographically forced
waves. Lee waves. Severe downslope storms.
Bora. Inertio-gravity waves. Kelvin-Helmholtz
instability. Topographic Rossby waves.
Mesoscale thermodynamics: Equivalent
potential temperature. Pseudo-adiabatic
processes and conditional instability. CAPE.
Development of convective cells. Entrainment
models. Vorticity and convection.
Planetary boundary layer: Reynolds
averaging. Horizontally homogeneous
turbulence. K-theory. Mixing length and mixing
layer. Models of the Ekman and Prandtl layer.
Ekman pumping. Prognostic equations for
turbulent fluxes. Similarity theory and MoninObukov length. Theoretical forms of turbulence.
Turbulent kinetic energy equation. Problem of
the closure with examples.
Fundaments of general circulation: Zonallyaveraged equations. Representation of
atmospheric variability. Lorenz energy cycle.

Readings

1. J.R. Holton: An introduction to dynamic meteorology. Academic Press.
2. J.E. Martin: Mid-Latitude Atmospheric Dynamics. J. Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
3. R.B. Stull: An Introduction to Boundary Layer Meteorology, 1988, Springer.
4. Izbrani strokovni članki / Selected classical papers

Objectives and competences

Simplification of the Navier-Stokes for the
descritpion of frontal processes and mesoscale
waves. Analytical solutions and associated
physical arguments for mesoscale oscillations
and instabilitis. Physical description and
mathematical representation of convection.
Systematic approach to the treatment of
planetary boundary layer in observations and
models. Basic concepts and mathematical
formulation of general circulation.

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: Understanding
of the fontal dynamics, mesoscale wave
oscillations and three-dimensional turbulence.
Application of physical laws and mathematical
tools for the representation of turbulent
processes in the planetary boundary layer. Basic
understanding of the concepts and tools used
to discuss general circulation
Application: Students learn to apply physically
based thinking and mathematical tools to
describe dynamical aspects of mesoscale wave
motions and boundary-layer processes. Basic
understadning of general circulation
Reflection: The course builds systematic
understadning of atmospheric dynamics on
mesoscale and in the boundary layer. Students
are trained to recognize and analyze
atmospheric phenomea using underlying
physical laws.
Transferable skills: Simplification of complex natural problems with many dependent,
strongly non-linearly correlated variables.

Learning and teaching methods

Lectures, tutorials, discussionw, homeworks
and consultations. Application to current
weather phenomena.

Assessment

oral exam (theory) A mandatory student seminar based on an article related to the course subject is a condition to attend the oral exam.
written exam (problem solving) The written exam consists of two colloquia that have equal weights in the grade or an exam.
5 - 10, a student passes the exam if he is graded from 6 to 10

Lecturer's references

SKOK, Gregor, BACMEISTER, Julio T., TRIBBIA, Joe. Analysis of tropical cyclone precipitation using an object-based algorithm. Journal of climate, ISSN 0894-8755, 2013, vol. 26, iss. 8, str. 2563-2579.

SKOK, Gregor, HLADNIK, Veronika. Verification of gridded wind forecasts in complex alpine terrain: a new wind verification methodology based on the neighborhood approach. Monthly weather review, ISSN 0027-0644, 2018, vol. 146, no. 1, str. 63-75.

SKOK, Gregor, ROBERTS, Nigel. Estimating the displacement in precipitation forecasts using the Fractions Skill Score. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, ISSN 0035-9009, 2018, vol.

144, iss. 711, str. 414-425.

CEGLAR, Andrej, HONZAK, Luka, ŽAGAR, Nedjeljka, SKOK, Gregor, ŽABKAR, Rahela, RAKOVEC, Jože. Evaluation of precipitation in the ENSEMBLES regional climate models over the complex orography of Slovenia.

International journal of climatology, ISSN 0899-8418, 2015, vol. 35, iss. 9, str. 2574-2591.

ŽABKAR, Rahela, HONZAK, Luka, SKOK, Gregor, FORKEL, R., RAKOVEC, Jože, CEGLAR, Andrej, ŽAGAR, Nedjeljka. Evaluation of the high resolution WRF-Chem (v3.4.1) air quality forecast and its comparison with statistical ozone predictions. Geoscientific model development, ISSN 1991-959X, 2015, vol. 8, no. 7, str. 2119-2137.