This updated and enhanced Fifth Edition of ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY, International Edition is written by the widely read and authoritative author in introductory meteorology-Donald Ahrens. Ahrens’s ability to explain relatively complicated ideas in a student-friendly, manageable fashion allows even non-science students to visualize the principles of meteorology. ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY, 5e, International Edition is completely updated with over 250 new images and figures and the latest research and coverage. This new edition offers a complete package of teaching and learning tools, including a student tutorial system--CengageNOW for ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY, International Edition, which is available for bundling. CengageNOW is Web-based, assessment-driven, completely flexible, and contains a wealth of book-specific interactivities. It offers a personalized study plan based on each student’s assessment results, helping the student focus on the concepts they don’t yet understand. This complete teaching package provides each student with fun, interactive learning opportunities and an even greater chance for success.


New to this edition
Completely updated figures make this book more visually appealing than ever before, drawing students in to see the wonder of meteorology.
The significantly updated art program includes over 250 new or revised photos, maps, and illustrations. Numerous illustrations have been revised to show three-dimensionality. Many of the photos, taken by the author, provide unmatched images of dramatic weather events. All of the satellite images are now in color, and new Doppler radar images show precipitation with weather fronts and other atmospheric phenomena such as outflow boundaries and bow echoes.
Incorporating recent findings and events, the text includes new, revised, or updated material on such topics as: the carbon cycle and latitudinal variation in energy balance; the seasons and the sun’’s position in the sky; relative humidity; North Atlantic oscillation and Arctic oscillation; thunderstorms, including supercell thunderstorms; Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes; recent climate change; and trends in air pollution.
"Hurricanes in a Warmer World," "Climate Models," and "What Is a Meteorologist?" are three of several new topics addressed in Focus boxes. The boxes--which expand on the primary text discussions or examine related topics--cover observations, environmental issues, and advanced or special topics.
Rich with features and easy to use, the PowerLecture presentation tool lets you quickly build media-enhanced lecture presentations using Microsoft® PowerPoint®. You can integrate dynamic models of meteorological processes into your lectures to engageyour students-and help them cement their understanding. The CD includes ready-to-use lecture templates; all art and figures from the text, which can also be printed and used as transparencies; animations of the text’’s Active Figures (available to students on CengageNOW); and the Instructor’’s Resource Manual and Test Bank in electronic format.


Features
CengageNOW for ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY, the first assessment-driven and student-centered online learning system created for the meteorology course, is completely integrated with the text. CengageNOW uses a series of chapter-specific diagnostic tests to help students build a personalized study plan and focus their study time on specific areas of weaknesses. Each personalized study plan directs students to specific chapter sections and concept-driven multimedia tutorials designed to augment their understanding.
A superior technology package is seamlessly integrated with the text, and a wealth of online resources further enable you to incorporate striking interactive weather exercises into your course.
InfoTrac® College Edition, an online reference library containing full-text articles from thousands of periodicals, is available with every new copy of the text. Included in this selection of journals is WEATHERWISE, America’’s only magazine about the weather.
Thorough coverage features a topic presentation that moves from atmospheric elements, air temperature, and air pressure to atmospheric motion, cyclonic development, severe weather, and finally to climate and global change. The modular organization gives you the flexibility to cover chapters in any order you wish.
A removable Cloud Chart allows students to identify clouds wherever they go and is particularly useful for outdoor projects.
"Did You Know" boxes focus on recent weather events and provide additional information on exciting weather phenomena. Interspersed throughout the text, "Did You Know" sections highlight interesting weather facts and recent meteorological events. Topics include: the history of meteorology, temperatures in high atmosphere, sun burning and ultraviolet rays, gas laws, and atmospheric elevation.
In-text brief "Reviews" enable students to check their understanding of concepts before moving on.

1. THE EARTH’’S ATMOSPHERE.
Overview of the Earth’’s Atmosphere. Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere. Weather and Climate.
2. WARMING THE EARTH AND THE ATMOSPHERE.
Temperature and Heat Transfer. Balancing Act-Absorption, Emission, and Equilibrium. Incoming Solar Energy.
3. AIR TEMPERATURE.
Daily Temperature Variations. The Controls of Temperature. Air Temperature Data. Measuring Air Temperature.
4. HUMIDITY, CONDENSATION, AND CLOUDS.
Circulation of Water in the Atmosphere. Evaporation, Condensation, and Saturation. Humidity. Dew and Frost. Fog. Foggy Weather. Clouds.
5. CLOUD DEVELOPMENT AND PRECIPITATION.
Atmospheric Stability. Determining Stability. Cloud Development and Stability. Precipitation Processes. Precipitation Types. Measuring Precipitation.
6. AIR PRESSURE AND WINDS.
Atmospheric Pressure. Measuring Air Pressure. Surface and Upper-Air Charts. Why the Wind Blows. Surface Winds. Winds and Vertical Air Motions. Measuring and Determining Winds.
7. ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATIONS.
Scale of Atmospheric Motion. Eddies-Big and Small. Local Wind Systems. Global Winds. Global Wind Patterns and the Oceans.
8. AIR MASSES, FRONTS, AND MIDDLE-LATITUDE CYCLONES.
Air Masses. Fronts. Middle-Latitude Cyclones.
9. WEATHER FORECASTING.
Acquisition of Weather Information. Weather Forecasting Methods. Weather Forecasting Using Surface Charts.
10. THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES.
Thunderstorms. Tornadoes. Severe Weather and Doppler Radar. Waterspouts.
11. HURRICANES.
Tropical Weather. Anatomy of a Hurricane. Hurricane Formation and Dissipation. Naming Hurricanes.
12. AIR POLLUTION.
A Brief History of Air Pollution. Types and Sources of Air Pollutants. Factors That Affect Air Pollution. Air Pollution and the Urban Environment. Acid Deposition.
13. GLOBAL CLIMATE.
A World with Many Climates. Climatic Classification-The Koppen System. The Global Pattern of Climate.
14. CLIMATE CHANGE.
The Earth’’s Changing Climate. Possible Causes of Climatic Change. Global Warming.
15. LIGHT, COLOR, AND ATMOSPHERIC OPTICS.
White and Colors. White Clouds and Scattered Light. Blue Skies and Hazy Days. Red Suns and Blue Moons. Twinkling, Twilight, and the Green Flash. The Mirage: Seeing is Not Believing. Halos, Sundogs, and Sun Pillars. Rainbows. Coronas and Cloud Iridescence.
Appendix A: Units, Conversions, Abbreviations, and Equations.
Appendix B: Equations and Constants.
Appendix C: Weather Symbols and the Station Model.
Appendix D: Humidity and Dew-Point Tables (Psychromatic Tables).
Appendix E: Standard Atmosphere.
Appendix F: Beaufort Wind Scale (Over Land).
Appendix G: Annual Global Pattern of Precipitation.
Appendix H: Koppen’’s Climatic Classification System.
Additional Reading Material.
Glossary.
Index.
Credits.