Product Description
Amateur meteorologistsÂ--as well as everybody else who is interested in understanding the dynamics of weatherÂ--will find what theyÂ're looking for in this meteorology primer and daily logbook. An expertly written text explains the fundamentals of meteorology to beginners and offers interesting pointers on weather prediction to more experienced weather watchers. It also lists the forecasting equipment that home meteorologists will need, including a barometer, thermometer, and a simple device for measuring wind speed and direction. Readers will find explanations of the different cloud types, information on what kinds of weather they indicate, tips on measuring precipitation, instruction on reading a weather map, and advice on predicting thunderstorms and other weather phenomena. A 104-page logbook section (52 two-page spreads) provides space for charting weather-related data for a full calendar year. Weather Tracker is printed in two colors and features more than 60 enlightening illustrations and diagrams. Its rubberized PCV cover with wraparound flap and a snap to keep it closed will protect the pages against the elements when weather watchers take the book outdoors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR YEAR
It's fun and of interrest to record the weather each year ... You can look back and correct your neighbors or say "We're not as dry as they claim" or know what's "average" for your specific area as a microclimate! I liked my 5 year diary a little better (on my second one) but this is much more convenient than many available at this time.

weather guy
good quick amount of info available for later checking. The "weather predicter tips" is very usefull and informative. The cloud picures could be better colored and expanded some.

An Excellent Introduction to Meteorology
Weather Tracker: Backyard Meteorologist's Logbook is an excellent introduction to the subject of meteorology.

Meteorology is a subject that more and more people have gotten interested in over the years. Folks who are interested in the weather will find this meteorology primer and daily logbook an excellent resource for everyday use.

The author provides a useful summary of the elements of weather and the forces that drive it. He describes the various phenomena of weather such as fronts, jet streams, seasons and the like. The author also shows how amateur meteorologists with low tech equipment can study and even successfully forecast the weather.


This is an excellent book. ... Read more

Product Description
Our understanding of climate and its role in human affairs has changed markedly over recent years, as have climate observation systems and modelling capabilities. Reliance on recent weather statistics to provide a guide for future climate is no longer viable. Evidence of human-induced climate change has placed climate high on political and the media agendas.
Climates of the British Isles provides a comprehensive account of what we know about climate and changing climates at the end of the twentieth century. Integrating the historical and geographical dimensions of climate, the crucial link between past and future climatic conditions is examined through the geographical lens of the British Isles. Climates of past ages are reconstructed and full descriptions of present climate are illustrated by a wealth of graphs, maps and images. Important climate data sets are provided.
Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the internationally acclaimed Climatic Research Unit, this book distils much of the leading research of present and recent members of the unit and presents an authoritative, accessible view of climatic change and prospects for the next millenium and beyond. ... Read more

Product Description
Are you planning a trip or vacation outside North America? Need practical weather and climate information in advance? Then, The Cambridge Guide to the Weather should be on top of your list of things to buy before you go. Invaluable for planning trips around the world, with its handy country-by-country climate data and statistics, along with in-depth explanations of global weather patterns, this remarkable resource offers helpful guidance and handy tips for measuring and recording the weather as well as for interpreting weather signs. In addition, Ross Reynolds gives a detailed, factual, and balanced account of the implications of environmental issues currently in the headlines, such as global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer, as well as the effects of El Niño and other phenomena on world weather patterns. Packed full of color photographs and satellite images, the text is also illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, maps, charts, and graphs. The Cambridge Guide to the Weather is a must-have purchase not only for travelers but indeed for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This Guide Helps You Become Weather-Wise!!!
+++++

This slim book, by Cambridge meteorology lecturer Ross Reynolds is a practical, invaluable guide for all those influenced directly or indirectly by the weather (which is all of us).Reynolds elaborates: "Amongst other things, this book outlines a grounding in meteorology for those who want to gain a basic understanding of what makes the weather `tick,' and to appreciate what lies behind some of today's great atmospheric environmental issues.

Each chapter of this nine-chapter book begins with a brief summary:

(1) The Atmosphere

"Before looking at the weather in detail, it is necessary to set the scene by explaining some basic facts about the atmosphere's chemical make-up, its structure and layering, and what drives it to on a global scale.This basic knowledge will help you understand subsequent chapters."

(2) Weather Observation

"Many people take more than just a conversational interest in the atmosphere by recording weather measurements at home.In some countries, there are networks of enthusiasts who produce regular newsletters that often include members' observations.The advent of the internet has facilitated even wider links between observers on an intercontinental scale."

(3) Weather Mapping

"Portraying the elements of both the `actual' weather and its forecast state as a...map, for one instant, is crucial in...meteorology.Satellite and radar `images' also aid in the visualization of extensive [weather] detail in a quickly [non-overwhelming] form.Much of the complexity of the atmosphere is, and will remain, summarized in map form that is truly international language for meteorology."

(4) Global Weather

"It is important to understand the links between patterns of global [atmospheric] pressure, circulation, temperature, humidity, and precipitation before investigating individual weather-producing disturbances such as...hurricanes and typhoons."

(5) How the Weather Works

"Every day, we all experience one facet or another of the weather, even if this is only the view from a window on a dull day...What makes the wind blow?How do clouds form and stay in the sky?How do they produce rain, snow, and drizzle?Why are there different types of fog?How do dew and frost form?These topics [and more] are discussed in this chapter."

(6) Weather Forecasting

"To most people, the main aim of the meteorologist is to prepare and present a weather forecast.Furthermore, television is probably the most common medium through which they obtain information on what is likely to happen over the next day or so weather-wise."

(7) Hazardous Weather

"In many parts of the world, the most common natural hazard to effect society is the weather.Its impact may be very short lived-from the disastrous transit of a tornado, to the potentially devastating passage of widespread gales that may last a day or so-or much more extensive, such as widespread flooding that may persist for weeks, or drought that may last for a season."

(8) World Holiday Weather

"This chapter gives general information on the duration of various aspects of the climate, at a variety of holiday and other locations."(Note that this chapter provides a graph for monthly temperature, monthly rainfall, and monthly sunlight for each location or city profiled.This information is particularly useful for travelers.)

(9) Environmental Issues

"During the last decade or so, we have become more aware of global or near-global changes in the atmosphere that have occurred naturally or through the activities of [humans]...El Nino, global warming, and the `hole' in the ozone layer are three environmental issues that are described in detail in this chapter."

In a few places within this book are internet addresses for major sites that provide up-to-date details of various topics within weather and climate.

This book has more than 300 illustrations (photographs, satellite imagery, maps, or diagrams), most in color.Also included are graphs, tables and charts.In fact, almost every page of this book contains at least one illustration, graph, table, or chart.

Finally, there is a handy glossary that provides definitions of common (examples: "precipitation," "snow") and uncommon (examples: "cut-off," "southern oscillation") weather terms.

In conclusion, this book concisely and adequately explains a fascinating subject important to all of us--the weather!!

(first published 2000;preface;introduction;9 chapters;main narrative 180 pages; glossary; further reading; acknowledgements; index)

+++++

Very Good
Of the few (15?) titles available on this subject, this is one of four that I bought. Good instructional material, broad based, and accurate. Small little volume that is a quick read and informative. ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses the increasing importance of accurate climate forcasting and its effect on many facets of human life, particularly as the demand for food and fiber continues to rise, fueled by population growth and incomes primarily in developing countries. DLC: Climate changes--Social aspects. ... Read more

Product Description
Twenty years ago, who'd have believed that millions of viewers would follow the twists and turns of storms developing across the globe with the rapt attention once reserved for thriller movies? That a single television channel could simultaneously inform and entertain us, enrich our lives and, at times, help save them?

This is the remarkable story of The Weather Channel, a cable network that succeeded when almost all the experts predicted it would fail. Told by one of the key figures in the network's success, former Chairman and CEO Frank Batten, this is at once a deeply personal account of high-stakes entrepreneurship and a fascinating case study of a media business both experiencing and driving major change.

There are colorful personalities-from the on-camera meteorologists to the whiz kids recruited to help build the company's core technology. There are adventures and dramas-from the glitch-filled national launch that was saved by luck and a mysterious stranger to The Weather Channel's near-death experience as its owner, Landmark Communications, was poised to lose its entire 31 million investment in the network. There are unexpected plot twists, risky ventures, failures, and victories.

Batten's engrossing narrative reveals for the first time how The Weather Channel works its magic-and the technological, meteorological, and business innovations that have made it all possible. He takes us behind the scenes as his unique network evolved from struggling start-up to media powerhouse, from editorial cartoon fodder to vital public service.

Along the way, he shares hard-won business lessons on breaking from convention and taking educated risks; bringing a great idea to market; strengthening a brand; leveraging disruptive technologies; managing through failure; preserving a spirit of risk-taking through periods of intense growth; and more.

An absorbing tale of success against the odds, this book will appeal to entrepreneurs in all industries, as well as to the millions of fans of The Weather Channel.

Amazon.com Review
In 1982, Frank Batten flipped a switch and began what he called "a weather forecast that will never end." There's probably no better emblem of niche media than the Weather Channel and its super-specialized field of interest. After 20 years of mapping high-pressure fronts and covering hurricanes, however, "We have built one of the strongest brands anywhere in the media business," writes Batten, former chairman and CEO. Most of The Weather Channel concentrates on all the problems Batten and his media company experienced in the early 1980s when they hatched their idea for all-weather programming and struggled to get it on the air. "I'm sure that we tried to do too much, too fast," says Batten, who nevertheless endorses the too-much, too-fast approach: "I'm convinced that if we hadn't acted as aggressively as we did--if we hadn't spent the money, rushed down the road, and pushed ourselves and our partners ... The Weather Channel may never have been." Batten concludes by discussing the future of weather predictions (they're going to get a lot better, he thinks) and offering unconventional advice to aspiring media tycoons (don't offer stock options to employees). This book will appeal to aficionados of isobars and other weather events, as well as readers interested in how to start a thriving business. --John Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

What is your USP?
What is your USP (unique selling proposition)?The Weather Channel is available 24 / 7 and "saves lives."Started by Landmark Communications based on a business plan from noted meteorologist John Coleman, The Weather Channel is a broadcasting success story.This book plods along with the story of the birthing of the service and not a lot of insight into the process beyond good people and a private company's ability to make the kind of long-term investment that paid off with The Weather Channel.

This book misses the boat
If I were editing the book I would have told the author I want it to look like this: 10 pages on the idea of the weather channel and how it got to cable, 5 page pictoral of hot weather channel chicks, 12 pages on big storms the network has covered, 2 pages on how much of a weeny Paul Goodloe is and 230 pages on Jim Cantore. Folks, Jim Cantore IS the weather channel. He is on the edge of your seat entertainment that dares weather to take him on. Whether he is chasing after ann F-5 tornado with a paddle to stop it, surfing the waves of a cat 5 hurricane or reporting from a blizzard in a speedo, Cantore takes the worst mother nature has to offer and laughs at it. Yes, there are some other strong anchors at TWC like Sharon Resultan, Dr. Paul Kocin and Dr. Steve Lyons, but they are cluttered up by goofs like Goodloe and Bob Stokes. Stephanie Abrams is pretty hot. Cantore needs to pull a Sting and just leave the weather channel. If there were a cable channel just called Cantore that featured Jim going to places with the most horrible weather in the world, I would watch 24/7. I do realize Cantore can't do 24 hours worth of shows, but he would have to give his approval for any show on the network. If it gets Cantore approval, it's must see TV. This book missed out on a chance to tell the legend's story, but it does mention him so it's a good read.

interesting but......
This book is a business story of how The Weather Channel became one of the leading media brands in the nation.It is not a "behind the scenes at TWC" tale, although a few pages in the "afterword" give readers a brief glimpse at how it all comes together on air.

The most fascinating parts of Batten's story are the tales of how TWC came to be in the very beginning, from the early company history, to the initial concepts and business plans of the late 1970s and early 1980s, to the 1981/1982 start-up, to the birthing pains caused in part by a messy corporate divorce with one of the founding partners.The book also provides an interesting glimpse into how the cable TV landscape was first settled by pioneers like HBO, ESPN, WTBS/CNN and, of course, TWC.

The latter half of the book deals with many of TWC's forays in the 1990s, including the highly-successful weather.com website, as well as several international ventures). But the final chapters lack excitement or drama.

The book has 264 pages, and it's not a hard read.I think the same story could have been told more effectively in about half the space, leaving out many of the details. The authors of this book focus almost exclusively on the TWC dealings and strategies at the corporate and operational levels.A better story could have been told by weaving in more perspectives from other TWC people, namely the on-camera meteorologists, some of whom have been with TWC since the very early days.Combine the best elements of this book (the first half of the story, in particular) with a real 20 years of "behind the scenes", and you'd have a compelling tale that would appeal to audiences beyond the book's target audience (TWC die-hards, business students, weather and media professionals).

Finally, the book provides 16 pages of full-color photos, but none appears to be older than 1998.Why didn't the authors add photos from the early days?Those of us who have been TWC fans for many years would have appreciated seeing some of the old faces, old graphics, and old technology that have made The Weather Channel the familiar and trusted friend it is today for millions of people.

Despite its flaws, I recommend the book for those who are interested in TWC specifically, or in the media or weather businesses in general.

Interesting look at a media success
This is an interesting book, using the Weather Channel as an example of the birth of specialized channels in the early cable market. Now we take the plethora of channels available to us as a given (57 channels and nothing on), yet in the early days it was a fight to get a new channel carried over cable systems. The Weather Channel succeeded through a strong idea, people that believed in it, and being on the cutting edge of technology. While I expected this to be a straight story of the birth and growth of the Weather Channel, I was surprised to find that it was that, as well as a musing upon communications, and what makes a successful channel, and a successful company. The actual history is only a bit over half the book. The rest looks at the technology involved, and the lessons of leadership, and new ventures. Finally it concludes with some interesting first person stories of experiences in the building of the channel. An interesting read. Not exactly what I expected, but still a fascinating glimpse behind getting a specialized cable channel up and running, and successful for 20 years.

Not what I expected, but it is a book on TWC...
For those thinking about buying this book. One word of caution, it is NOT specifically about TWC. It is more about creating a business from the ground up and ignoring critics, blah, blah, blah. I was hoping for a behind-the-sences type of book on TWC, but this is not the case. A pretty dull book IMO, but a great book if you're a business person. ... Read more

Product Description

The weather's impact on our world is more apparent than ever, and the weather affects nearly everything that we do. But how is the weather forecast, and how do you read weather maps? Weather answers these questions and many more, helping you to understand what's happening in the sky. Highly illustrated with photographs, satellite images, and diagrams, this is the perfect introduction to our ever-changing weather.

Product Description
This clear and accessible text describes the methods underlying short-term climate prediction at time scales of 2 weeks to a year.Although a difficult range to forecast accurately, there have been several important advances in the last ten years, most notably in understanding ocean-atmosphere interaction (El Nino for example), the release of global coverage data sets, and in prediction methods themselves.With an emphasis on the empirical approach, the text covers in detail empirical wave propagation, teleconnections, empirical orthogonal functions, and constructed analogue.It also provides a detailed description of nearly all methods used operationally in long-lead seasonal forecasts, with new examples and illustrations.The challenges of making a real time forecast are discussed, including protocol, format, and perceptions about users.Based where possible on global data sets, illustrations are not limited to the Northern Hemisphere, but include several examples from the Southern Hemisphere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

gradual and steady improvements
Jokes about weather predictions are as old as those predictions. But joking aside, the book shows gradual and steady improvements in predictive power. Unsurprisingly, some of this is driven by cheaper computing power. But the book really does not discuss that. Instead the advances are due to deeper reasons. Like improved modelling of wave dispersion from an initial event.

Examples in the text include a change in the choice of basis functions and the dimensionality of the modelling. Some of the discussion takes the reader right back to introductory linear algebra and the construction of orthogonal functions. This is done empirically in one chapter.

The narrative also looks further out, at climatology, as opposed to weather predictions. Here, the intersection with the initial thread is in the short term climate predictions, which in fact forms the main thrust of the book. Overall, the text is very encouraging. No limits are suggested to future improvements.




... Read more

Product Description
This text and commentary is the first to take account of all the manuscripts and to place the work in its historical and scientific context, as well as the first to describe its manuscript tradition. ... Read more

Product Description
When Newton was faced with explaining what made the planets orbit the sun, he couldn't! He therefore left it up to God to keep the planets moving. Although Newton didn't bother grappling with the question of what made the Earth rotate, Laplace, in trying to eliminate God as the cause of planetary orbiting, used the notion that the planets condensed out of a swirling mass of gas to explain both orbiting and rotation.

Today, the conservation of motion in closed systems has been added to obscure the fact that we have no better explanation for planetary orbiting and rotation than Newton's God!

In our ignorance of what causes the planets to orbit and rotate, we have used historical forces, forces which are not subject to direct analysis, to explain planetary movement.

If historical forces are causing the Earth to rotate, then anything that would cause friction with the Earth's surface would cause it to slow down.

Because the atmosphere hasn't slowed the Earth down, the argument goes, it can't be causing friction with the surface of the Earth.

This, of course, is absurd, requiring the notion that the particles of air that make up the atmosphere were put in motion as a result of the historical swirling mass of gas!

Absurdity, however, has not precluded slavishly applying the assumption of Newton's historic momentum to the atmosphere in current attempts to explain the weather, obscuring explanations of how the weather really works!

The author, using the atom modeled in Atoms, Stars and Minds: Synthesizing an Elementary Particle That Comprehends Itself explains how the winds originate from the movement of air masses between the equator and the poles, and shows how heat is transferred by the interaction of oxygen and hydrogen atoms in the air masses as they move the atoms through the environment to produce the weather. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bros fights the new church of orthodoxy
Peter Bros brings strong reactions because he challenges the liturgy and orthodoxy of what now passes for "science". "Science" is now a political term used to deride any person who challenges its commonly used but most often misunderstood litany of ridiculous asumptions. If one reads the ugly things being written about Mr. Bros, they do not challenge his assertions but rather deride him for making them. Rather un-scientific don't you think? It's the new form of inquisition used by those who toss down chiken bones to determine "science".

Mr. Bros writings are refreshing and challenging. His writings are difficult to read not because they are not well written but rather because the reader is taken into his mind where a new and unfamiliar landscape awaits.

This book is a delight and who could be offended by his wrtings but a biggot? One does not have to agree with Mr. Bros to enjoy his challenges.

Garbage
Peter Bros is a poorly educated man with a very strong agenda to prove the massive 'conspiracy' behind modern science. He makes many strong claims in his books and website with little or no explanation and doesn't truly seem to understand the concepts he criticizes. Reading a few pages of his 'literature' will quickly reveal that while Peter Bros may understand a few high school physics and life sciences concepts, he extrapolates them into giant frameworks of alternate meanings that are not only groundless but don't contribute to science. There is a reason (besides the "conspiracy") that Peter Bros has never submitted any papers to a formal peer review.

Brilliant
This book is basically for two types of people, those who don't understand the weather and those who think they do. While some of Bros' books can be difficult reads, this is one of the easier ones to comprehend. If you have a brain and are capable of logical thought, this book will teach you some things about the weather.

As in all of his books, Bros attacks mainstream science with vigor. If you are enamored with mainstream science and actually think that scientists think rationally, this book will annoy you, and you will be inclined to write a hate filled and completely illogical review of the book. Be warned. ... Read more

Product Description
Climate has changed repeatedly during the three million years in which humans have occupied the Earth. Ice cap expansion and contraction, desrtification etc. Andrew Goudie shows that these changes are repetitive and will continue. Howeverin recent decades humans have started to modify global climates through changingthe gas content of the atmosphere and modifying the Earth's vegetative cover. Goudie argues that even minimal alteration of climate could have monumental consequences. We face: increased exposure to disease, drought hazards, reduced agricultural productivity. All these issues crucial to the Earth's future are covered in this thought-provoking book. ... Read more

Product Description
A humorous and practical guide to the history and science of understanding the weather—plus, how to build your own barometer!

For as long as man has walked upon this earth, he has been forced to survive under the cruel tyranny of weather. Let’s face it: there is no escape. Now, in Man vs. Weather, humorist Dennis DiClaudio offers up the knowledge to beat weather at its own game. Rooting through conventional wisdom, discovered gadgetry, and the advances of science, this book presents the geothermal mechanisms behind weather-related phenomena, the history of humanity’s relationship with the climate, as well as the truth surrounding atmospheric aphorisms. Have no fear: By the time you make your way through this book, you will be able to read, understand, and defend yourself against the elements!

• Is “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” a helpful saying or just the ramblings of idiotic drunkards who like to rhyme?

• What are these Santa Ana winds that blow out warmly from the desert, and who is this hussy for which they are named?

• What is this Gulf Stream that flows out from Mexico before crossing the Atlantic toward Africa and Europe, and how can a stream cut through the ocean anyway? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Fun series of books
DeClaudio has written several "Guide Books" that are excellent to leave laying around for guests to pick up, turn to any page and get a smile.He has basically taken a subject and then bull dog through the topics that are most apt to make the reader squirm (and laugh out loud).Lots of fun.I'm using the same review of all books in the series.No matter which ones you choose you'll enjoy equally.....bg

An Informal View of Weather
This type of composition may not suit everyone, but I find the very informal presentation, almost smart-alecky in places, humorous and rather refreshing.The author manages to combine hard facts with a youthfully casual candor.I wonder that the editor and publisher let him do it.This is a different way of learning global weather basics and is suitable for both the young and the young at heart.

Excellent conversation starter.
Anyone who knows me personally can tell you that I am a bit of a weather enthusiast. I have been known to sit and watch the weather channel for hours on end. Yes I do realize that that is only acceptable behavior after the age of 80, but what can I say? My name is Holly, and I am a weather addict.

Let me start out by saying that this book is quite funny. It approaches the mundane topic of weather from a really entertaining angle. At the same time it manages to teach about even complex topics in weather. I never cared about the jet stream until I read this book. Now I know exactly how it works and why. I have tried explaining my new found knowledge to others, yet fail miserably, as I cannot serve up the info with such finesse as the author does.

The book is broken up in to chapters, each building upon the last. The first chapter dissects the atmosphere. After reading about the tropopause you will know what you are looking down at every time you get on a plane and look out the window wondering why the clouds seem to be hitting their heads on an invisible ceiling. Feel free to blurt out "Wow! What a great view of the tropopause!" People will wonder if a genius is among them. Then in the end it covers our dysfunctional relationship with weather. Including, but not limited to, the weathers insatiable appetite for human destruction. Smart, funny, well-written and informative, this book is a must. Weather enthusiast or not.

Dennis DiClaudio = funniness
Dennis knows where to put the commas and where to put the words. It also helps that he writes the way god intended us to write -- funny. clear. informative. but most importantly, funny.

I suggest you buy this book. It makes a great gift. ... Read more

Product Description
Follows the activities of a television weatherman as he tracks and reports on the progress of a storm system through his area. ... Read more

Product Description
Voyageur Press is proud to publish this new edition of Eric Sloane’s classic folksy history of American weather. Combining two Sloane books, "Eric Sloane’s Almanac and Weather Forecaster" (1955) and "Folklore of American Weather" (1963), this omnibus is filled with traditional weather sayings and beliefs.

In "Eric Sloane’s Weather Almanac," you will learn forecasting tips such as which winds bring what kinds of weather, how to "read" clouds, how to foretell the weather by the moon, and more. Also included is fun climate lore such as old-time sayings about when sap is running and why you should dig your well where lightning has struck.

One hundred thirty-five of Sloane’s drawings clarify and enhance the text of this entertaining and informative book by one of the most popular recorders of American history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Eric Sloane's Weather Almanac
Mr. Sloane writes a week by week review noting how the seasons and the weather change as the year goes by.Mr. Sloane also notes how the weather affected early American life by the things he sees and finds while restoring his 1782 Connecticut home.The author rambles at times which simply adds to the interest of the book and gives some insight into the author's life.
Also included is some weather folklore, and the scientific background to prove or disprove some of the old sayings.
An interesting and easy to read book, a must have for anyone interested in weather or early American life. ... Read more

Product Description
An introduction to the job of a meteorologist that examines the tasks that they perform, the tools that they use, and the education required to be a successful meteorologist. ... Read more

Product Description
Paperback. Understanding and predicting changes within the Earth's atmosphere and oceans requires observations over a very large range of time and spatial scales. Only observations from Earth-orbiting satellites offer such information on the global scale. In view of the importance of predictions of weather and climate to human activities, it is important to examine the progress made in the application of satellite data to weather forecasting, climate prediction and climate model validation.

This issue presents twenty-two papers on the topic of application of satellite data to weather forecasting, climate prediction and climate model validation. Four major areas are covered including synoptic scale forecasting, data assimilation and impacts; meoscale applications and use of satellite data in fine mesh models and use of satellite data in nowcasting; climate forecasting support by satellite data and climate diagnostic studies based on satellite data; and ... Read more

Product Description
Agricultural droughts affect whole societies, leading to higher food costs, threatened economies, and even famine. In order to mitigate such effects, researchers must first be able to monitor them, and then predict them; however no book currently focuses on accurate monitoring or prediction of these devastating kinds of droughts. To fill this void, the editors of Monitoring and Predicting Agricultural Drought have assembled a team of expert contributors from all continents to make a global study, describing biometeorological models and monitoring methods for agricultural droughts. These models and methods note the relationships between precipitation, soil moisture, and crop yields, using data gathered from conventional and remote sensing techniques. The coverage of the book includes probabilistic models and techniques used in America, Europe and the former USSR, Africa, Asia, and Australia, and it concludes with coverage of climate change and resultant shifts in agricultural productivity, drought early warning systems, and famine mitigation. This will be an essential collection for those who must advise governments or international organizations on the current scope, likelihood, and impact of agricultural droughts.
Sponsored by the World Meterological Organization ... Read more

Product Description
Weather and climate extremes can significantly impact the economics of a region.This book examines how weather and climate forecasts can be used to mitigate the impact of the weather on the economy. Interdisciplinary in scope, it explores the meteorological, economic, psychological, and statistical aspects of weather prediction. Chapters by area specialists provide a comprehensive view of this timely topic.They encompass forecasts over a wide range of temporal scales, from weather over the next few hours to the climate months or seasons ahead, and address the impact of these forecasts on human behavior. Economic Value of Weather and Climate Forecasts seeks to determine the economic benefits of existing weather forecasting systems and the incremental benefits of improving these systems, and will be an interesting and essential text for economists, statisticians, and meteorologists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE Reference
The book represents the best reference for "distributions oriented" verification of probabilistic forecasts.Developed and described in the context of meteorological forecasts, the DO paradigm is robust, and has ubiquitous applications, when one recognizes that EVERY forecast is inherently based on a conditional probability distribution.

The focus on meteorological forecasts does not make applications in other disciplines transparent, in a tutorial way, but anyone who thinks rigorously about the "quality" of forecasts will make the connection.An essential, and universal concept demonstrated from meteorology is the realization of "quality-value reversals" in which forecasts with higher "quality" (quantified by traditional error measures such as correlation or RMS error) have lower "value" in terms of net benefit of the forecast when used in a specific decision making context.This fundamental concept is well extablished in other fields with high-stakes forecast-based decisions (, e.g. medical decision making) and should be fundamental to any development/evaluation of forecasts (meteorologiical or otherwise). ... Read more

Product Description

International Marine’s first basic book on marine weather

Written by noted meteorologist/sailorChris Tibbs for the Royal Yachting Association and adapted forthe North American market, On-Board Weather Handbook is a full-color, user-friendly introduction to interpreting wind, clouds and barometer and integrating these with official forecasts. Includes information on new technology and a chapter on weather routing.