The atmosphere affects people in a number of ways. Blizzards snarl transportation and affect utilities. Floods threaten life and infrastructure. Droughts reduce agricultural production, and heat waves cause the demand for electricity to spike. Hail and high winds damage property and increase insurance rates. Even sunshine can increase the formation of haze and smog. In addition, climate change may alter the severity and location of all these events. Understanding the processes that cause these weather events is critical in our daily lives as well as in industry.