This is why I think the way to approach this is by looking at hypothetical mission scenarios, in a classroom setting, using internet data.
It is completely wrong to think that one can (on any significantly reliable basis) outforecast the forecasters. Yet the way met is taught everywhere is just that... they teach you about polar tropical and maritime tropical etc etc airflows. I always find that stuff goes right over my head and I cannot see any way to relate it to reality. What matters at the end of the day is the tafs, metars, the frontal picture, radar, etc.