Atmospheric Sciences 5300 Atmospheric Thermodynamics

Atmospheric Sciences 5300:
Atmospheric Thermodynamics & Boundary Layer Processes

	Fall Semester 2025 (3 credits)
	MWF 1:25 - 2:15
	ST E1133

	Prof. Steven K. Krueger
	LSSB W3290
	801-581-3903
	Steve.Krueger@utah.edu

	Teaching Assistant: (none)
	-
	-

	Office Hours:
	Tu 2:00-3:00, W 12:00-1:15, or by appointment

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Boundary Layer Processes

Schedule of Lecture Topics

Survey (fillable form)

First-day quiz (fillable form) quiz scores and resources

Exams

Midterm Exam: Wednesday, Oct 15 (allowed: calculator, one sheet of notes, skew T-log p chart)
Study guide
Sample exam problems 1
Sample exam problems 2
Sample exam problems 3 (with answers)
Midterm review problems (with answers)
skew-T example problem and answer

Assignments

Exercise 1: Adiabatic parcel (due Aug 29) (fillable form} graph paper saturation vapor pressure (T>0 C) saturation vapor pressure (T<0 C)

Exercise 2: Adiabatic parcel and skew T-log p chart (due Sep 5) graph paper

Using skew-T for Exercise 2

Exercise 3: Moist adiabatic parcel and skew T-log p chart (due Sep 12)

Using skew-T for Exercise 3

Exercise 4: Liquid water and and skew T-log p chart (due Sep 19)

3 examples

Exercise 5: Lapse rate stability CAPE (due Sep 26)

Notes

Thermodynamics Notes

Slides for sections 5.1-5.4

Example problems: Heat capacity Answers Detailed answers
Example problems: Thermodynamic processes
Example problems: Adiabatic parcel
Precipitation rate slides
Microburst downdrafts DCAPE for dry microburst downdrafts
Microburst 2008 Aug 25: Sounding Surface observations Time-lapse movie

Skew T-log p diagram

skew T blank (10 mb & 1 deg intervals, color)
skew T blank (10 mb & 1 deg intervals, color) (1050-600 mb, with added saturation mixing ratio labels)
skew T blank (10 mb & 1 deg intervals, color) (1050-400 mb, with added saturation mixing ratio labels)
skew T blank (10 mb & 1 deg intervals, BW)
skew T blank (50 mb & 10 deg intervals, color)

skew T elements
Skew T Mastery (MetEd training module)
skew T basics
skew T operations
The Use of the Skew T, Log P Diagram in Analysis and Forecasting

Forecasting Convection

Sounding Station Parameters and Indices (essential definitions)
Convective Parameters and Indices (very useful)
Buoyancy and CAPE (MetEd training module)
A Convective Storm Matrix: Buoyancy/Shear Dependencies (MetEd training module)
Detailed forecaster guide, 33 pages
Climate and Weather Terms Glossary (useful)
Glossary of Meteorology
Fort Worth soundings May 2004
Cumulus levels and types
CAPE and levels on skew T

Special Lecture Topics

MATLAB Online References

The Mathworks MATLAB Documentation

MATLAB Online Reference Documentation

Last updated Sep 29, 2025