|
Basic physical concepts are reviewed, and commonly-employed analysis
methods are presented. Then weather systems are explained in terms of
their thermal structure, dynamics, and effects. Special problems such
as thunderstorms, winter weather, and tropical weather get chapters of
their own. Margins are filled with forecasting facts, hard-hitting
quotes, educational stories, and even a few fun weather jokes. With
added emphasis on analysis, visualization, and awareness of model
limitations, readers learn to use tools properly and are always a step
ahead. Due to the book's recent demand by universities, the latest
edition adds ten review quesions at the end of each chapter (answers
not printed but are available on this web site).
With the Weather Forecasting Handbook, some common sense, and a little
math knowledge, almost anyone can learn to forecast the weather, and
even have fun doing it!
Incredible coverage
The Weather Forecast Handbook is broken down into a dozen chapters:
* FUNDAMENTALS -- A basic overview of density, pressure,
mixing ratio, is followed by a description of scale, atmospheric
structure, the global circulation, and the pressure coordinate system.
* OBSERVATION -- Where do those observations come from? You'll see how
temperature, dewpoint, wind, clouds, and other phenomena are measured.
The chapter sticks to what is important to forecasters.
* TOOLS -- Learn to use the surface chart, and upper-air charts. A
section on radar and doppler radar follows (showing how to interpret
severe signatures), then satellite imagery, soundings, and hodographs
are discussed in detail.
* PHYSICS -- This chapter touches on phase changes, adiabatic changes, stability, atmospheric forces, and winds.
* FRONTS AND JETS -- You'll learn frontal concepts, the types of
fronts, drylines, air masses, tertiary circulations, and jets.
* MOTION -- This large chapter gets into the heart of dynamics,
explaining long waves, short waves, convergence, vertical motion, and
jet stream dynamics. You'll also learn about vorticity, Q-vectors, and
isentropic analysis.
* BAROTROPIC SYSTEMS -- Covers the various types of cold-core and
warm-core lows and highs found in everyday analysis, from cutoff lows
and the polar vortex to hurricanes and heat lows.
* BAROCLINIC SYSTEMS -- Explains baroclinic lows and highs, how
they develop and dissipate, and common variations usually seen in
everyday analysis.
* CONVECTIVE WEATHER -- Covers structure and types, including odd
variations such as derechos, splits, MCSs, and the supercell spectrum.
Lists the various convective parameters used today, such as CAPE, EHI,
and BRN.
* WINTER WEATHER -- A brief chapter that covers different precipitation types caused by various vertical thermal structures.
* TROPICAL WEATHER -- Learn about the equatorial trough, the
subtropical ridge, easterly waves, TUTTs, tropical cyclones, and more.
* NUMERICAL GUIDANCE -- Describes the prediction process, classes,
domains, configurations, and operational models currently used. Also
explains the limitations of models.
* APPENDIX -- Code quick reference, reading, software, educational
web sites, government weather agency web sites, forecasting myths, and
twelve practice exercises.
|