大气模型基于控制空气流动的物理/动力学方程，以计算机代码形式编写。这些代码使用通过将短期模型预测与新观察值相结合而创建的数据进行初始化（此过程称为数据同化）。当从初始条件开始对模型进行及时整合（即运行模型代码）时，输出为数值天气预报。这些数字预报为人类预报员提供指导，并且是所有国家气象局和媒体天气预报的基础。在过去的20年中，我们的预测能力的提高主要归因于这些计算机天气预报中的改进，这是通过更好地使用观测值以及使用更高级的模型和功能更强大的计算机来实现的。
The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science offers graduate study leading to the Master of Professional Studies, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Coursework in atmospheric and oceanic sciences is also offered at the upper division and graduate level as a service to other campus graduate programs. The educational program is broadly based and involves many applications of the mathematical, physical and applied sciences that characterize modern atmospheric sciences and physical oceanography, including climate and earth system science, and multidisciplinary studies of the interrelationship among the atmosphere, the oceans, the land, and the biota. The Department's advanced degree programs are designed to prepare students for participation in contemporary research in the atmospheric and oceanic science. Research specializations include: atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, physical oceanography, air pollution, atmospheric radiative transfer, remote sensing of the atmosphere, ocean, and land, climate variability and change, data assimilation, numerical weather prediction, severe storms, surface-atmosphere, ocean-atmosphere and biosphere-atmosphere interactions, and earth system modeling. The curriculum includes a set of Core courses to provide a fundamental background in atmospheric and oceanic dynamics, physical meteorology and atmospheric chemistry, earth system science and climate, as well as advanced specialized courses. Supervised research using state-of-the-art facilities then prepares the students for future contributions in their chosen field.<br><br>Atmospheric models are based on the physical/dynamical equations that govern the atmospheric flow, written as a computer code. These codes are initialized with data created by combining short model forecasts with new observations (a process called data assimilation). When a model is integrated in time (i.e., the model codes are run) starting from the initial conditions, the output is a numerical weather prediction. These numerical forecasts provide guidance to human forecasters and are the basis of all the National Weather Service and media weather forecasts. The increase in our prediction capabilities over the past twenty years is mostly attributable to the improvements that have taken place in these computerized weather forecasts, through the better use of the observations, and the use of more advanced models and of more powerful computers.