Essentials of Meteorology

Don Ahrens is an emeritus professor at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California. He has influenced countless professionals in the field of atmospheric science as well as hundreds of thousands of students who use his books to better understand weather and climate. In 2007, the National Weather Association awarded him a lifetime achievement award for these accomplishments. The best-selling author of three Cengage texts -- METEOROLOGY TODAY, ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY and EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATE -- Professor Ahrens received the Textbook and Academic Authors Association’s McGuffey Longevity Award for the 9th edition of METEOROLOGY TODAY. Professor Ahrens completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in meteorology at San Jose State University and his doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado. Robert Henson is among the nation’s most widely read writers on weather and climate. He is a regular contributor to the Yale Climate Connections website and a contributing editor at the Texas Climate News website and Weatherwise magazine. Prior to his freelance career, Henson was a staff writer and editor at Weather Underground and at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, which manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research. An expert on tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes, Henson has also analyzed how TV weathercasters cover major storms and report on climate change. His books include THE THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, whose original edition was shortlisted for the UK Royal Society Prize for Science Books. Robert Henson is among the nation’s most widely read writers on weather and climate. He is a regular contributor to the Yale Climate Connections website and a contributing editor at the Texas Climate News website and Weatherwise magazine. Prior to his freelance career, Henson was a staff writer and editor at Weather Underground and at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, which manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research. An expert on tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes, Henson has also analyzed how TV weathercasters cover major storms and report on climate change. His books include THE THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, whose original edition was shortlisted for the UK Royal Society Prize for Science Books.

• 1. Earth's Atmosphere. 2. Warming and Cooling Earth and the Atmosphere. 3. Air Temperature. 4. Humidity, Condensation, and Clouds. 5. Cloud Development and Precipitation. 6. Air Pressure and Winds. 7. Atmospheric Circulations. 8. Air Masses, Fronts, and Middle Latitude Cyclones. 9. Weather Forecasting. 10. Thunderstorms and Tornadoes. 11. Hurricanes. 12. Global Climate. 13. Earth’s Changing Climate. 14. Air Pollution.15. Light, Color, and Atmospheric Optics.