Chasing the Storm: Tornadoes, Meteorology, and Weather Watching

by Ron Miller

Huge, towering clouds build up in the sky―it's a super cell. The Doppler radar indicates that the system is rotating. But is there a funnel? Is it touching the ground? Only a storm chaser can confirm when a tornado is present―and help meteorologists warn nearby towns.

Whenever severe weather threatens, storm chasers hit the road to hunt for tornadoes, hurricanes, or violent storms. Some drive thousands of miles in just a few days as they follow a storm system from Iowa to Texas. Others serve their cities and towns by taking photos from their backyards and phoning in storm details to local weather stations. Specially trained Hurricane Hunters hop into aircraft packed with scientific instruments to fly deep into powerful hurricanes, hoping to reach the eye of the storm.

Are storm chasers a bunch of foolish daredevils? Not at all. Many are scientists while others are professional photographers and videographers. Storm chasers arm themselves with training about severe weather, use sophisticated instruments, and follow safety guidelines.

In Chasing the Storm , you'll meet real storm chasers and meteorologists, hear their stories, and discover how they do their work. You'll learn tornado basics, get a great window into the science of meteorology, and learn how to pursue a career in the field. You might even decide to become a storm chaser yourself!

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Childrens

64 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Ron Miller is an illustrator and author living in South Boston, Virginia. Before becoming a freelance illustrator in 1977, Miller was art director for the National Air & Space Museum's Albert Einstein Planetarium. Prior to this he was a commercial advertising illustrator. His primary work today entails the writing and illustration of books specializing in astronomical, astronautical and science fiction subjects. His special interest is in exciting young people about science, and in recent years has focused on writing books for young adults. To date he has more than 50 titles to his credit. His work has also appeared on scores of book jackets, book interiors and in magazines such as National Geographic, Reader's Digest, Scientific American, Smithsonian, Air & Space, Sky & Telescope, Newsweek, Natural History, Discover, Geo, etc.

Miller's books include the Hugo-nominated The Grand Tour, Cycles of Fire, In the Stream of Stars, and The History of Earth. All of have been Book-of-the-Month Club Feature Selections (as well as selections of the Science, Quality Paperback and Astronomy book clubs) and have seen numerous translations.

Considered an authority on Jules Verne, Miller translated and illustrated new, definitive editions of Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth as well as a major companion/atlas to Verne's works. He has worked as a consultant on Verne for Disney Imagineering and for A&E's Biography series.

Miller is also considered an authority on the early history of spaceflight. The Dream Machines, a comprehensive 744-page history of manned spacecraft, was nominated for the prestigious IAF Manuscript Award and won the Booklist Editor's Choice Award.

As an artist, Miller has designed a set of ten commemorative stamps for the U.S. Postal Service and has been a production illustrator for motion pictures, notably Dune and Total Recall. He has also done preproduction concepts, consultation and matte art for David Lynch, George Miller, John Ellis, UFO Films and James Cameron. He designed and co-directed the computer-generated show ride film, Impact! and has taken part in numerous international space art workshops and exhibitions, including seminal sessions held in Iceland and the Soviet Union (where he was invited by the Soviet government to take part in the 30th anniversary celebration of the launch of Sputnik). His original paintings are in numerous private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Pushkin Museum (Moscow).

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing the Storm looks at the human fascination with weather, specifically storm chasers and why they do what they do. I especially enjoyed the quotes from actual storm chasers. The book also goes on to discuss the following aspects of being a storm chaser:

A Day in the Life of a Storm Chaser
What Makes a Tornado?
What's going on with the weather?
Meteorology on the Job
Official Weather Watchers
Being a Storm Chaser

I appreciate how precise yet readable the book is. Since I have many students who are fascinated by the weather this would be a good book for them. The design of the book is crisp and appealing. While I did find one editorial error, it doesn't effect the overall value of the book. The diagrams were especially helpful in understanding the conditions that lead to tornadoes and what storm chasers look for and try to measure while in the field.

[JellyKellyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

100% just read a kids book on meteorology and I'm not even that mad about it

[Sherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle grade readers looking for their first book about storms and storm chasers will enjoy this one. It features chapters on a day in the life of a storm chaser, tornadoes, weather causes (such as the greenhouse effect), weather careers, and official weather watchers. At less than 50 pages of regular content, this is great for readers with no previous learning, but others might be disappointed for the lack of depth. Big bonuses are the hands-on activities for students, such as the experiments with water vapor and the greenhouse effect. Plus, the end of the book offers step-by-step illustrated guides for creating one’s own weather station, wind vane, barometer, and hygrometer (which measures humidity). The book offers colorful pictures and graphics that illustrate key concepts. Also, students can go online for additional resources. However, one error slipped through the editing process: on page 31 it states how almost 80 countries have signed an international treaty which prohibits military use of “environmental modification techniques” but the name of the treaty is missing with only a comma in its place. for grades 3-8

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book on weather and storm chasing. It gives good information on how to be a storm chaser, what storm chasers do and what education you need. It also does a great job explaining the difference between climate and weather and what each are. There are a couple experiments listed in the text of the book and the back matter contains instructions for completing your own weather station including a rain gauge, wind gauge, wind vane, barometer and hygrometer. Lots of pictures and good first hand accounts from storm chasers. However, there is an illustration that doesn't match the text and a word is missing from the middle of a sentence. Bad editing!

[Tracie]

I actually haven't read this. I am interested in the weather tools that can be made in the back - program idea.

[pianogal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was good, but it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. If you're in fourth or fifth grade and like weather, read this one. There were also some excellent science fair ideas at the end...

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great information about tornadoes and how weather watchers gather information about those storms.

[Cynthia Shutts · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with exciting facts and science. Found an error on page 31 in which the name of the treaty was left out of the text.