First, .. Don't neglect gravity.
Then, toward the idea of approaching forecasting, even the broader science of weather, from a good strong point of view more academic, I'd check the book "Guide to Earth and Space" by "Isaac Asimov". (Basically, jump-street "Physics", with some basic thoughts elucidated where considering some basic ideas, principals, beginning with Earth, and then extending more outward.)
And with this, more in particularly, his Chapter 6 of this book, "What Makes the Wind Blow. ?"
— If you "google" the book, and check it at one of the main book dealers, you can generally view quite a few of the chapters of this book, online.