1. Tropical Cyclones: A broad brush picture of these important tropical weather systems. I plan to concentrate on theories relevant to forecasting the genesis, motion and intensity of these phenomena, as you will begin to forecast them in week 3 for one of your term projects. We will return to this phenomenon again later in the course, when the logic of the syllabus requires more information.

2. The Tropics: A broad description of the tropics. Major synoptic and surface features; structure of the tropics; contrast between the tropics and midlatitudes; important distinctions.

3. Role of the Tropics in the General Circulation: The role of the tropics in the general circulation, including the basic structure of both the Hadley and Walker circulations, basic scalings, tropical waves.

4. Seasonal Variability and Monsoon Regimes: Description of the seasonal weather phenomenon dominating most tropical regions. A simple conceptual model of the monsoon will be given and data described.

5. Intraseasonal Variability: The 30-60 day oscillation in the tropics was first identified by Rol Madden and Paul Julian in 1970. Since then, this signal has acquired the name Madden-Julian Oscillation (or MJO). The structure and signature of the MJO will be discussed. Its role in modulating the Hadley and Walker circulations will be illustrated (recent research from Penn State!). A current controversy involving the role of the MJO in the active and break phases of the Australian monsoon will also be presented.

6. Interannual variability: Description of short-term (1-5 year) variations in the tropical climate. El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO); the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) of the stratospheric winds.

7. Tropical Cyclones: Revisited! More theory and context than was possible at the start of the course.

Last Updated: 10 October, 1997