G'day Rider,
You'll find most education regarding climatology is taught in a university setting as you'll need some detailed knowledge of physics, mathematics and chemistry to understand the principles.
Most universities will offer a bachelor degree with a major in climatology. We do have some members who are working meteorologists, they may be able to shed a little more light on the subject for you.
If you are after something a little more laid back that you can read at your leisure, Anthony Cornelius has on his website (Downunder Chasing) a comprehensive guide to thunderstorm forecasting. You can find it
here.
Regards,
Lee