Various aspects of modern statistical physics and meteorology can be tied
together. The historical importance of the University of Wroclaw in the field
of meteorology is first pointed out. Next, some basic difference about time and
space scales between meteorology and climatology is outlined. The nature and
role of clouds both from a geometric and thermal point of view are recalled.
Recent studies of scaling laws for atmospheric variables are mentioned, like
studies on cirrus ice content, brightness temperature, liquid water path
fluctuations, cloud base height fluctuations, .... Technical time series
analysis approaches based on modern statistical physics considerations are
outlined.Comment: Short version of an invited paper at the XXIth Max Born
symposium,Ladek Zdroj, Poland; Sept. 200