30-Second Meteorology

by Adam Scaife

30-Second Meteorology features 50 of the most significant events and phenomena to shower down from the skies, all explained without the bluster. Each entry is summarized in a mere half minute—using just 300 words and one picture. Leading climate and atmospheric scientists present an expert account of fair weather and foul, from halcyon days to hurricanes, rainbows to rime frost, sunspots to supercells. Illustrated with engaging graphics and profiling seven key climate players, 30-Second Meteorology delivers the explanations you need to understand our restless atmosphere—at lightning speed.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2016

About the author

Adam A. Scaife (born 18 March 1970) is a British physicist, and head of long range prediction at the Met Office. He is also a Professor at Exeter University. Scaife carries out research into long range weather forecasting and computer modeling of the climate. Scaife has published over 100 peer reviewed studies on atmospheric dynamics, computer modelling and climate predictability and change and recently published popular science and academic books on meteorology.

Reviews

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un des moins bon livres de cette collection. On après assez peu, certaines capsules sont simplement trop de base. Habituellement j'adore cette collection, mais ce livre ne lui rend pas honneur. Je ne vois pas à qui pourrait convenir ce livre. Le tout demeure bien vulgarisé et c'est pourquoi je lui donne tout de même trois étoiles, mais au niveau du contenu, on s'adresse vraiment à un publique qui ne connaît rien, mais absoluement rien, et dans un ton qui n'arrive pas vraiment à nous captiver. Peut-êtr eai-je trop peu d'intérêt pour la météorologie, mais pourtant...

[Anny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weather is slowly turning into a special interest of mine (or is it already?)

but this one wasn't really it. I always started reading the new page with my full-attention and eyes wide in excitement, but somehow it died down by the time I reached halfway done.

Maybe this format just isn't the one for me.

Also, the paper felt awful. Maybe I would have been more patient with it if I didn't dread constantly turning the pages.

The illustrations were superior, though!

[Harrison Large ラージ • ハリソン · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed from the library. Yeah, it was alright. Been looking to get to understand the weather a bit more as I exercise regularly in the cold and it always seems to rain in the UK.

Book introduces concepts but doesn't seem to have enough time to really cook with what it has to make sure you understand it. Imagine trying to explain serious weather phenomena in as many words as this review - yeah, it can't be done well.

Luckily I have a second book about weather I can check out, which looks to be more what I'm after.

[Alejandro Jaramillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro con unas características estéticas excepcionales, de gran calidad en la edición, las gráficas y en los materiales utilizados. Aunque parece ser un libro para niños, por la cantidad de gráficas que presenta, es en realidad un libro para todos los amantes de la meteorología o los que están ansiosos por saber más del tema. Es definitivamente un libro para todos los gustos y edades. Claramente no es un libro que discute temas a mucha profundidad, en su lugar se dedica a dar breves explicaciones, muy claras y en un lenguaje divulgativo pero científicamente riguroso, sobre distintos tópicos meteorológicos, desde las capas de la atmósfera hasta temas como el fenómeno de El Niño.

[Ger Stormchaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro compuesto por 50 artículos de una página de extensión cada uno, sobre distintos fenómenos meteorológicos (la atmósfera, el Sol, predicciones, ciclos del tiempo, fenómenos extremos), además de biografías de destacados científicos.
No se lo recomiendo a la gente que se acerque al tema por primera vez. Le sacarán mejor provecho aquellos que quieran repasar conocimientos.
La síntesis en los conceptos conspira contra la comprensión de mucho de los temas. Además las ilustraciones no tienen fines didácticos. Hubiera ayudado que fueran gráficos claros y complementarios los textos. En cambio son interpretaciones artísticas, muy bellas por cierto. Personalmente, me gustó el resultado.