atmospheric dynamics is a difficult yet essential topic for students to understand. the leading book in the field (holton, intro to dynamic meteorology) is too difficult for the bulk of students on such courses who are coming from a geography or environmental science background, and the other offerings are too introductory. there exists a gap in the market for a thorough yet accessible textbook, and this is the level at which the proposed textbook is pitched. the approach of applied atmospheric dynamics will be strongly driven by descriptions of real world phenomena and ways in which these can be simplified. part 1, anatomy of a cyclone, will consist of 9 chapters that cover the fundamental theory of atmospheric dynamics, and comprise the bulk of any single semester course. part 2 will comprise of a set of applications of atmospheric dynamics to particular types of systems around the world, allowing extensions of theory and providing instructors with a variety of options to complete a semester according to their own interests and geographic location. each copy of applied atmospheric dynamics will contain a cd-rom prepared by the authors. the cd-rom will contain dedicated datasets, project materials, colour graphics and animations of important phenomena. an instructor cd-rom/resource will also be available, containing answers to project problems and tasks, and 3d animations of weather phenomena.