Meteorology
Meteorology is an applied physical science that studies the processes governing the behavior of the atmosphere and its interactions with the Earth’s surface, especially with the ocean. Its objective is to understand and predict atmospheric phenomena by using traditional physical equations as well as mathematical and computational tools.
Recently, several extreme weather and climatic events have affected the country and the state of Santa Catarina. Meteorologists have a central role in understanding and forecasting these events, which include floods, tornadoes, snow and hail precipitation, cyclones and hurricanes.
In the early stages, UFSC Meteorology students take general courses that give the basis for the understanding of complex atmospheric processes: Physics, Calculus and Computer Science. In the later stages, students acquire knowledge on thermodynamics (applied to the study of precipitation and cloud formation and development); physics of radiation (applied to the understanding of the atmosphere thermal structure and the establishment of methods for the observation and measurement of atmospheric phenomena); and the principles of fluid dynamics (applied to the understanding of the behavior of weather systems that shape weather and climate patterns across all scales). All these processes are diagnosed through an extensive use of computational techniques.
Meteorologists are needed across various sectors that rely on weather and climate information, such as civil defense, agriculture, civil and military aviation, navigation, energy and water resources management, environmental impact studies and pollution control, market and economic planning, the insurance industry, and support for the organization of sports, tourism, and entertainment events.
Learn more about the Meteorology program by watching this video (in Portuguese):
| Program Length: 8 semesters (4 years) |
| Website: meteorologia.grad.ufsc.br |
| Classes held during the day. |
