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PREFACE This book owes its existence to a course on meteorology which >i been given by the author i n Williama College for the last eight years. This course is a Junior and Senior elective course "with three exercises a week during a half year. _A_ syllabus, covering both the text-book used and the added material, was prepared for the course. This was at first mimeographed, then revised and printed. Later it was again revised and reprinted. This book follows the order of topics in this last syllabus very closely, and is thus essentially a r^simi<5 of the material which has been gathered for the course. This book is essentially a text-book. For this reason, the marginal comments at the sides of the pages, the questions, topics for investigation, and practical exercises have been added. A. syllabus of each chapter has been placed at its beginning, and the book has been divided into numbered sections, each treating a definite topic. The book is also intendefl for the general reader of

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.

Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the difficult to read text. Read books online for free at www.forgottenbooks.org ... Read more

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Excerpts from The Old Farmer's Almanac offer an illustrated, witty treasury of anecdotes, tips, aphorisms, records, predictions, and trivia about all types of weather, from hurricanes to drought. 50,000 first printing. Tour. ... Read more

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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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In this practical guide, Santurette and Georgiev show how to interpret water vapor patterns in terms of dynamical processes in the atmosphere and their relation to diagnostics available from weather prediction models. In particular, they concentrate on the close relationship between satellite imagery and the potential vorticity fields in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. These applications are illustrated with color images based on real meteorological situations. The book's step-by-step pedagogy makes this an essential training manual for forecasters in meteorological services worldwide, and a valuable text for graduate students in atmospheric physics and satellite meteorology.

* Shows how to analyze current satellite images for assessing weather models' behavior and improving forecasts
* Provides step-by-step pedagogy for understanding and interpreting meteorological processes
* Includes full-color throughout to highlight "real-world" models, patterns, and examples ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well Written guide to using WV Imagery
This volumes is well written and a good hands on manual for use operationally and as a reference as well. ... Read more

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An advanced, updated, and self-contained treatment. Includes the fundamental system of equations governing large-scale atmospheric motions, coordinate systems, atmospheric wave motions, energetics, hyperbolic and elliptic equations, moisture modeling, solar and terrestrial radiation modeling, seasonal and climate prediction. Presupposes a knowledge of mathematics through calculus, some vector analysis, and introductory meteorology. ... Read more

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Tornadoes, nature's most violent and unpredictable storms, descend from the clouds nearly one thousand times yearly and have claimed eighteen thousand American lives since 1880. However, the U.S. Weather Bureau--fearing public panic and believing tornadoes were too fleeting for meteorologists to predict--forbade the use of the word "tornado" in forecasts until 1938.

Customer Reviews (2)

Scanning the Skies - A somewhat disappointing history
By and large, the author has succeeding in drawing together a lot of information.However, it appears to me that she has drawn most of her understanding of the history from a limited list of participants in that history.Because she is not a meteorologist herself, this lack of thorough research leads to her characterizations being rather flat.This is not a bad book for those interested in the history of our science, but it is not a definitive work on the subject.

Tornado Forecasting History
In Scanning The Skies: A History of Tornado Forecasting, Marlene Bradford highlights the development of the US tornado forecast and warning systems from the earliest inception to the modern, multi-component, highly technical system in place today.

Ms Bradford begins the book with the historical background into the theories of tornado formation and the early attempts to predict tornadoes in the United States. The major focus of the story, however, begins a little more than a century ago when the first scientific inquiries and debates as to the nature and causes of tornadoes began. Much of the limited early debate appears to have focussed on the negative aspects of a tornado forecasts, even speculating that more would die from panic or illnesses contracted while huddled in damp storm cellars than from the storms themselves! The US Weather Bureau, recognizing the difficulties in forecasting tornadoes and fearing public panic from any such forecasts, actually forbade use of the word "tornado" in any forecast until 1938.

When the author reaches the state of tornado knowledge during and just after the World War II years, she reaches the true heart of the story. Bradford gives us a well-documented account of the friction between military and civilian storm forecasters in the post-war years that was sparked by the first storm warnings produced within the US military weather service. She takes us from the events leading up to the first "official" tornado warning forecast of Major Ernest Fawbush and Captain Robert Miller issued on March 25, 1948 to the modern forecast and warning system used today by the US Storm Prediction Center.

Having brought the warning system development to the new century, Bradford concludes the book with a chapter an the evaluation of the effectiveness of the integrated tornado warning system over the past several decades. Her analysis shows a difficulty in proving the question as to whether such a system has saved enough lives for the cost of development, implementation and function.

I have no real criticism of Scanning The Skies. Readers looking for more technical material on the scientific aspects of the history of tornado forecasting may be disappointed in this book as it only briefly and superficially discusses scientific advances that lead to improvements of the tornado warning system (such as the development of Doppler radar). Recognizing that the book is intended to present the history of the process of developing a tornado warning system and not about the science behind it, I feel a little more attention could have been given to some of the more relevant scientific aspects with a few diagrams for clarification as to what forecasters look for when developing a tornado watch or warning forecast.

If you are interested in tornadoes or in disaster prevention and warning programs, I think you will find Scanning The Skies an enjoyable and informative read. Scanning The Skies is a well- written historical account of the rise of the modern tornado forecasting and warning system as well as a peek at the workings within government as agencies vie for control and funding while simultaneously trying to avoid criticism. ... Read more

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This manual presents the meteorology student and operational forecaster with the current techniques for interpreting satellite and radar images of weather systems in mid-latitudes. The focus of the book is the large number of illustrations. Images are matched with conceptual models and weather charts. Written in an image-led mode, rather than in the style of a standard textbook on meteorology, the presentation allows the user to identify and interpret patterns on the images as easily and quickly as possible. Patterns observed in satellite and radar images have been explained in terms of basic archetypal airflows. Examples are presented showing variations on the basic archetypes for many regions. Material for the book has been provided by experts from North America and Europe, and reviewed by people from universities, training establishments of meteorological services and operational forecasters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

STIMULATING IMAGERY
This book provides the best overall technical discussion of the use ofsatellite imagery and radar data in weather forecasting.For the weatherenthusiast this book may at times be difficult to understand;however, therestill is plenty of easy to understand information pertaining to visible,infrared, and water vapor imagery interpretation.The book is richlyappointed with color and black and white figures with concise discussionsof the meteorological conditions that produce the weather described in thefigure.I would especially recommend this book for the serious student ofmeteorology. ... Read more

Product Description
The ultimate guide to the ultimate storms, Hurricane Watch is a fascinating blend of science and history from one of the world's foremost meteorologists and an award-winning science journalist.This in-depth look at these awe-inspiring acts of nature covers everything from the earliest efforts by seafarers at predicting storms to the way satellite imaging is revolutionizing hurricane forecasting.It reveals the latest information on hurricanes: their effects on ocean waves, the causes of the variable wind speeds in different parts of the storm, and the origins of the super-cooled shafts of water that vent at high altitudes.Hurricane Watch is a compelling history of man's relationship with the deadliest storms on earth.

Includes:

- The story of the nineteenth-century Cuban Jesuit whose success at predicting the great cyclones was considered almost mystical.

- A new look at Isaac Cline, whose infamous failure to predict the Galveston Hurricane left him obsessed with the devastating effects of storm surge.

- The story of the Hurricane Hunters, including the first man ever to deliberately fly into a hurricane.

- A complete account of how computer modeling has changed hurricane tracking.

- A history of Project Stormfury: the only significant, organized effort to reduce the damaging strength of severe hurricanes.

- A unique firsthand account of Hurricane Andrew by both authors, who were at the National Hurricane Center when Andrew struck.

- A listing of the deadliest storms in history.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Hurricane Watch:
The thrilling hurricanes put me on needles and pins.I felt like I was there when it went through.I would recommend this book to all readers of storms.Thank you.

Karen Kay Ullom

Wealth of information and still readable!
Dr. Bob Sheets is a previous director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Jack Williams helped found the USA TODAY Weather Page.Together these two well respected men combine their unique talents, introspection , scientific facts with intriguing anecdotal tales. The resultmaywell beone of the ultimate books about hurricanes from their formationto the evolution of man's ability to understand and predict their path and power. They blend thelines of scientific fact andhuman experience yielding an accessible guide to a more in-depth understanding of hurricanes.The book covers the early days of meteorology, when it was perceived as almost a mythical ability to the more current up to the moment technological advances at the forefront of climatology and prediction.Also included are tables listing the deadliest hurricanes, strongest hurricanes and costliest storms. The Saffir-Simpson scale is explained and laid out along with a table detailing the strike possibilities by region.There is a section that deals with the computer models utilized by the National Hurricane Center, both the statistical and dynamic forecast models, from CLIPERto SHIPS, from GFDL to NOGAPS.Each model is detailed andit's purpose and focus are explained.
Finally there is the most important section, on how to prepare for a hurricane, from things to do before you buy or build your home, preparing ahead of time for hurricane season and what to do from the time a watch is issued, the hurricane arrives andafter the hurricane has passed.This book is a wealth of information for those whose lives may depend upon an understanding of hurricane predictions andthe ability to prepare themselves and their families for the possible onslaught of the hurricane season.

Prophetic
This book is like a Colombo murder mystery.You know "who did it," it's just will he or she be caught in time.The answer to the question, in this case, is "no."

Dr Sheet's book is a very thorough commentary on the history and study of hurricanes.He provides the reader with an interesting background narrative of hurricanes and their destructiveness that dates from the early experiences of Spanish explorers and early European settlers in the Caribbean, the east and southeast coasts of the US and Canada.He also discusses the typhoon or cyclone in the Pacific and the odd phenomenon that dictates that when there are more of these, there are fewer hurricanes in the Atlantic.He also covers the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño, though to a lesser degree than Brian Fagan did in one of his weather/climate discussions. Of far greater historical interest-to me anyway-is his discussion of the various personalities involved in researching hurricanes.It's surprising how much solid study was conducted as early as the 19th century.

The author also describes the big name hurricanes.Probably the best is his own experience of Hurricane Andrew in Florida.The story is riveting, especially when, having lived through a very precarious situation himself, he expresses concern over the very real possibility that the storm might move on into the Gulf of Mexico and hit New Orleans.The book was written in the late 1990s, but he is able to thoroughly describe the potential destruction should a hurricane hit the city in full force. As we know, Andrew did not move into the New Orleans area, but Katrina did. The outcome was much as the author had predicted.With so much foresight, it makes one wonder why authorities could have been so lax in taking precautions.It was, in fact, much as many had already said, a case of "not if, but when."

The answer seems to reside in that peculiar sense of probability that dictates that "if it didn't happen in my grandfather's time, and it didn't happen in my father's time, it won't happen mine."Human experience of climate is actually the experience of weather, a relatively short-term phenomenon.While the human life span seems quite long compared to other types of animal, it's infinitesimally short compared to the age of the earth, which is the time frame of climate.It's this grander scale of climatic change that makes the discussions over global warming so contentious, and the appropriate actions to be taken the subject of feud.Everyone has his or her own opinion, and the fact is that we really don't know.The author makes this point when he discusses the possibility that there will be more frequent and more destructive storms with the advent of global warming.Here too, they don't know, but the author is inclined to doubt it.That there will be storms as destructive as Andrew he accepts; that they will be more costly he agrees.But he feels that the latter will be due more to the increasing population of the areas subject to these storms and the unpreparedness of new comers in the face of a phenomenon with which they have no experience.

What is amazing to me is that the areas subject to a force of nature as fierce as a hurricane continue to grow in population and that building continues to be substandard, at least under the circumstances, but then the San Andreas fault system is heavily settled with buildings far too fragile to survive another 1906-style earthquake and the fertile flanks of Vesuvius lure farmers to them irrespective of its reputation for death and destruction.The human capacity to ignore what "might" happen looms ever optimistic.

"Hurricane watch"
"Hurricane Watch Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth" was an excellent book. It had many great facts on hurricanes in it. It gave me more understanding on hurricanes and how they start. This book is very helpful if you are studying meteorology. This book is written by Dr. Bob Sheets former director of the National Hurricane Center. He was in charge of predicting the tracks of hurricanes and sending out warnings to the people of the communities where the hurricane will hit. The book goes through the history on predicting hurricanes. It starts with Christopher Columbus and ends with hurricane Andrew. Since it is a sort of old book some of the "New technology" in the book is out dated. Also it does not have anything about the strong hurricanes of today. I recommend this book for anybody who likes to learn about the history of hurricanes. The book had facts on the history of hurricanes. The book was interesting in many places but had some boring spots. Also the book talked about people flying planes into hurricanes for reconnaissance. It had the history of the reconnaissance planes starting from World War 2 to now. The book was a fairly long book. The end of the book had appendices that had facts from hurricanes in the past. It also has a list of all of the hurricanes from 2001 to 2006. In some parts of the book I could not put it down but in other parts it was boring. The book had many great pictures. Some pictures were about what happened after they hit and others were about radar and what the hurricanes looked like from above. If you like meteorology and hurricanes this book is for you. Also if you need to do some research on hurricanes I would recommend this book to you.

Lots of good information!
I was in the middle of reading this book when Hurricane Katrina started heading toward us here in Louisiana. While everyone else was talking about the hurricane and its projected path, I was able to understand exactly what the forecasters were talking about. This book explains the dynamics of a hurricane very well - how, where and why they form, and an explanation of the weather phenomena that forecasters (and forecasting models) use to project its path.

One thing this book has made me realize is that weather is an imperfect science. It seems many people think forecasters are pointless because they're often wrong, but what they don't realize is that there is a LOT we don't know about weather. And we're a lot better off knowing what we know today! It is also strange to continue reading this after Katrina, because there is mention of intense, deadly hurricanes throughout history - and Katrina has really set a new precedent (Rewrite? Heck, I'd buy a 2nd edition!). This is a book that calls for a re-reading anyway. It is so jam-packed with interesting information. There are many explanations of weather phenomena that I had to read several times over because I'm not a scientifically-minded person. This book explains things very well - but I find that with weather-talk, it helps to have diagrams. Unfortunately, this book has very few (in fact, looking through, I can only find one diagram).

This book has excellent appendices! --> A list of hurricane names (2001-06), retired hurricane names. The hurricane probabilities chart is particularly fascinating - it lists names of Atlantic/Gulf coast cities and the probabilities of a hurricane/major hurricane hitting within a given year (Miami/Ft Lauderdale appear to be the two most vulnerable areas). Strongest hurricanes, most deadly hurricanes, most expensive hurricanes (including what past hurricanes would cost today). A glossary of forecasting models. A separate glossary of hurricane terminology. All excellent additions to this book!!

If you are reading this review, it means you're interested in hurricane books. And if that's the case, you NEED to read this one! - especially if you don't know much about the dynamics of hurricanes. (and if you live on either the Atlantic or Gulf coast) ... Read more

Product Description
The weather has always dominated our daily lives, and it remains our favourite topic of conversation. We all want to know what the weather will be for the week ahead in order to plan our days. But even with television forecasts it is hard to fathom the meaning of the weather charts; reliability is doubtful beyond the next 24 hours; and the area covered is not always a match to the place where you live. Stan Yorke shares this frustration. He has written a short guide that explains in simple language the basic weather principles, and it has a special illustrated section on how to read skies and clouds. The book allows us to properly interpret daily weather forecasts, and will give those who wish to, the confidence to set about predicting the local weather for themselves. ... Read more

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Instant Wind Forecasting is a quick reference guide for all who work or play outdoors whether dinghy, coastal or offshore sailors, fishermen, motorboaters, farmers, golfers, walkers or pilots. It will help them make meaningful predictions based on the look of the sky and the feel of the day. This book is the perfect companion to Alan Watt's international bestseller Instant Weather Forecasting. Its easily accessible format and revolutionary presentation has established the author's reputation as a layman's meteorologist.'Still the best book of its kind around' All At Sea'Worthwhile having either at home or on board' The Gaffers Log ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Print too small
The book was somewhat informative however,I found the print in this book to be too small .

for ocean coastal racers primarily
This book, written in tiny typeset with light grey ink (ie talk about eye strain) largely discussed coastal wind patterns and how they might effect a sailing race.As an inland sailor, I found the information nearly worthless. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Very useful
This small book has lots of useful information.It also has lots of color pictures and charts.

It covers how weather happensand shows you how clouds form and has pictures of the different kinds of clouds.Geographic weather variations are discussed.Weather conditions in snowfields and glaciers, lakes and oceans, and desert environments are explained.

Forecasting changes in weather covers using an altimeter and predicting weather changes by using wind direction.

There is an especially interesting chapter at the end that discusses forecasting from legends and lore, using--I kid you not--coffee, and watching the behavior of bees, songbirds, fog, and blackflies. ... Read more

Product Description

Understanding weather processes and terminology is not only a requirement in most schools, it's a skill that can save lives and make travel, work or any outdoor activity a lot more pleasant.

Now your students can gain the tools they need to observe, understand and live with weather with The Complete Weather Resource. This 3-vol. source combines the benefits of an encyclopedia, a textbook and an almanac to help students understand all aspects of weather: Vol. 1 — Understanding Weather, Vol. 2 — Weather Phenomena, and Vol. 3— Forecasting and Climate.

Also included are sidebars, a cumulative index, 200 photos and illustrations, "Words to Know" section and a further reading section. (20010101) ... Read more

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You might know that a herd of cows lying down can indicate rain, but what can goats, rabbits and even fish tell you about the weather? And while a red sky at night is a shepherd's delight, what might a rainbow in the evening mean to a cricketer? This delightful little book is peppered with amusing asides and explains how to forecast weather by observing natural barometers like animal behaviour, plant growth and the wind, clouds, stars and moon. Robin Page demonstrates that, by applying common sense to country lore, you'll find it far easier to decide whether to head out for a 10-mile hike or stay tucked up by the fire with a cocoa! ... Read more

Product Description
Have you ever listened to a weather forecast stating there may be a slight chance of showers but the rain is coming down so hard you are seriously considering a lifejacket while standing on the dock? During such times, one suggestion to the forecaster runs through everyone's mind: "Look out the window!!" That is certainly one of the most accurate methods to forecast the immediate weather.

Everyone knows the look of the sky when a thunderstorm or squall is moving in, but few know how to determine what is in store more than a few hours ahead.

Frank has taken the mystery out of weather forecasting in his book Marine Weather Forecasting. He explains how to tell more about the weather, for hours and days to come, than any broadcast. But you must know what to look for when you go on deck. The wind, clouds, moon and sun all tell the story and Frank explains how to read these signs.

Anyone can understand Frank's detailed descriptions of forecasting and the illustrations add to the ease.

CAUTION: After reading this book you may never rely on another broadcast report.

Illustrated ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

very underwhelming
i have three problems with this book:organization & presentation of material, depth of material and quality of the book itself.

i'll start with the quality of the book, as it's easiest to explain.when the meat of the 'forecasting' is based upon you being able to read cloud formations, and the pictures of the cloud formations are in black and white and low resolution, it kind of makes the whole thing moot.if you don't already know what alto stratus clouds look like, you're going to run into some problems trying to identify them after looking at a photo that resembles a sonogram.

next, the depth of the material.the meat of the book comes in a chapter that goes over ways to interpret different cloud formations.the material is presented in forty or so bullet point statements, kind of like "if the sky looks like X, then Y will be the weather".now, i'm not saying that the information presented here is necessarily wrong - it's just not really explained.WHY is this the case, you'll ask yourself repeatedly?or maybe you won't.i guess if you have no desire to see the information justified scientifically, you'll be fine with this.personally, i'd like a little science to back up the guidelines presented.the author does occasionally say things such as, "this happens because there is more moisture in the atmosphere, and as a result the sky is red".however explainations are generally too brief for me to consider them to be of real value.

finally, the organization and presentation of the book.honestly, the book isn't terribly well written.the author kind of jumps right into things going from A to B to C without creating a real flow or structure to the material.I found myself saying things like "why is he suddently presenting this material here?" on several occasions.additionally, many people may find parts of the book completely irrelevent, wishing the author took these pages to further explain the good material he does present within the book.

i'd say make a trip to your library before jumping into this one. ... Read more