The science of forecasting has not changed, but the Internet and new marvels of technology have completely redefined the process. It is not a rare thing for weather hobbyists and National Weather Service forecasters to get a product from the very same site. With more and more charts and tools appearing on the Internet by the week, how do you make sense of the avalanche of weather imagery and data?

Using a double-page format, the Weather Map Handbook demonstrates nearly every type of weather map, image, and product in common use. An overview of each item’s origin, purpose, shortfalls, and tips are outlined. Standards for analysis symbology and chart markings are summarized. The surface, 850 mb, 700 mb, 500 mb, and 300-200 mb charts get two pages each, complete with philosophy, objectives, and techniques for each chart. Thickness, isentropic, and Q vector products get their own sections.