With the development of electronic data processing, the field of statistical analysis has mushroomed. The availability of a vast amount of software allows the meteorologist to use statistics as a tool to a high degree and sophisticated statistical analysis of meteorological data is now possible. This can, however, lead to meaningless formalism unless the basic statistical background is understood. It would be impossible, in a single volume, to discuss recent statistical theories in detail and to evaluate every impact upon climatology, so the author has selected a number of topics comprising a mixture of familiar and modern subjects of statistical analysis which will introduce the reader to climatological data processing. The emphasis is on the demonstration of practical application. The examples have been selected and presented so that the reader can personally perform most of the calculations. They serve to illustrate the practical application, outline the problems whic may be encountered, and will aid in the climatological interpretation of the results.