The Country Life Guide to Weather Forecasting [antikvár]

« Introduction It is the continual variability of the weather - and the problems of forecasting it properly-which causes it to be of interest and concern to everyone. There are very few regions of the Earth where conditions are completely predictable for most of the time, and even there sudden extreme events can occur. It is the temperate zones in the middle latitudes of both the northern and southern hemispheres which undergo the most frequent changes, so that the conditions encountered there form a major part of this book. The weather and climate of the polar and equatorial regions are not covered to any great extent. The general aim is to enable the reader firstly, to recognize the form of weather, the clouds and other phenomena which are present at any time: secondly, to understand how they have been produced: and finally, to move on to forecasting what is likely to occur. The arrangement is such that the book may be read in a logical order, progressing from global aspects ofweatherand general processes (pp. 6-29), clouds and other phenomena [pp. 30-59), through to local conditions [pp. 60-87). This is followed by details of the important sequences of weather conditions found in low pressure systems, showers and thunderstorms, and more extreme storms [pp. 88-111). A brief description of general weather patterns over North America, Europe and the Mediterranean, and Australia and New Zealand, gives some idea of conditions encountered in those parts of the world (pp. 112-117). Some aspects of professional forecasting are discussed, together with ways in which these, and satellite photographs, may be interpreted (pp. 118-139). Finally records and instruments are dealt with, as well as the means of making certain specific forecasts. In a complex subject such as meteorology it is difficult to isolate one aspect from all the others, so that some conditions may be mentioned in several places. The major discussion will be found where the subject is given in bold type. Extensive cross-references are given, and the index and contents list should be freely used. Although this book should offer something for nearly everyone, it is naturally not possible for it to go into detail in more specialized areas, such as aviation meteorology, for example, but some guidance to more detailed explanations will be found in the bibliography. All measurements are primarily given in terms of the metric (SI) system, in accordance with the world-wide usage which this now has, and taking into account the growing tendency for books and periodicals published in the U.S.A. (and elsewhere) to use these units. However non-metric equivalents are also given, but these are approximate conversions and are not intended to be over-precise. It is strongly recommended that anyone undertaking practical meteorological work shx)uld, for example, purchase thermometers graduated in degrees Celsius, and use metric units throughout. 4