Field Guide to the Weather: Learn to Identify Clouds and Storms, Forecast the Weather, and Stay Safe

by Ryan Henning

Your Guide to Watching Clouds and Understanding the Weather From the soothing sound of rain to the shrill whistle of a blizzard, from the house-shaking rumble of thunder to the violent fury of a hurricane, weather is a fascinating part of our lives. We watch it. We listen to it. We feel it. We try to predict it. But how well do we truly understand it? Professional meteorologist Ryan Henning presents Field Guide to the Weather , a handy reference to meteorology and to the types of weather phenomena that one might encounter at home or in nature. It includes a simple introduction to the basics of meteorology―explaining the aspects of the atmosphere that dictate how weather works. From there, the field guide looks at a variety of individual weather cloud formation (and cloud-type identification), various forms of precipitation, and much more. The author goes on to discuss government-issued watches and warnings, and weather safety. Plus, readers are sure to appreciate the book’s helpful guide to interpreting weather forecasts and available model information when planning an afternoon picnic or next week’s vacation. Field Guide to the Weather is a perfect introduction to the science of weather. The information is captivating for kids and adults alike. The simple explanations are useful in easing the mind of a frightened child, and the in-depth details help adults learn to understand and prepare for the weather ahead.

144 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2019

Reviews

[catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good informative book. It would be more interesting if there were more charts to help with studying.

[Mrs. Bun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great beginner book for someone who is interested in learning about weather, both the larger concepts of global weather patterns to the descriptions of what weather delivers (rain, snow, ice, hail, tornadoes, etc.). The author provides excellent photos and graphs. Although I read this book as my first weather book it is not a beginner one as in "simple" - there are concepts that I had difficulty with and paragraphs I had to reread, so be aware there is a lot of information packed in this slim paperback and some is more challenging to understand. However I enjoyed the author's writing style and consider this to be a book that I will be keeping.

[Joseph Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few branches of science are as oft-maligned as meteorology. Part of the problem is that its forecasts are so short-term. Get a long-term prediction disastrously wrong, and people are likely to forget. Make a mistake about an inch or two of rain for the following day, and even those with the shortest-term memory are likely to remember.
“A Field Guide to the Weather” does a good job of doing two things: it shows how difficult and complex predictive models of weather are; and it shows the layperson how to do a decent job of reading the heavens for signs and auguries of what kind of weather to expect.
Once upon a time, of course, this sort of native wisdom was the kind of thing people took for granted. They lived much closer to the elements, and very much at their mercy. Not only that, but early agrarian settlements depended very much on the seasonal changes for their survival.
Still, even in this era of LEO satellites cluttering up space and constantly-updated GPS info at our fingertips everywhere we go, it helps to know something about the weather.
And for those actually considering a career in meteorology, the author cites some foundational texts and important online tools one can use to get started in their journey. If you choose that career path, fine, just don’t go to Punxsutawney in the middle of a blizzard. You may never leave.

[Tahsin Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good and brief introduction to learning about weathers, but some sections lacked good explanation. the cloud classification/identification and forecasting section was very good, would definitely come handy. the section regarding bad weathers and guides for staying safe was also very good and informative

[Whitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

No more or less Info. Good primer.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done with pictures and charts but I still don't get it.

[Andrew Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to the basics of weather. It does a good job giving the high level and also provides resources for the local weather enthusiast to utilize to observe the weather.

[Marc Hess]

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[Monica Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so informative. I see myself reading this yearly to re-educate myself on the fall and winter seasons.

[PottWab Regional Library]

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