After my grandfather passed away in 2007, I wrote a blog entry talking about my grandfather(s) and father's interest in weather and science. Father's Day is coming up next weekend -- if you have a "Science Dad" consider getting him AccuWeather's Mike Smith's new book.
I wrote a review of "Warnings: The True Story of How Science Tamed the Weather" back in April. Since I posted that, AccuWeather.com has come out with a video explaining what inspired Mike to write the non-fiction account of the history of meteorology in America (he also occasionally posts blog entries about topics from the book):
You can buy the book on Amazon, AccuMall.com, and in bookstores. The reviews coming in are still thrilling to hear; below are quotes from the most recent articles:
From MySanAntonio.com:
"If you like scary tornado, hurricane and wind-shear stories, "Warnings" is the book for you. His explanations of the advances in radar and other weather-tracking equipment, along with criticism of government policies about warning cities and towns when severe weather developed, are easy to understand and interesting. So is his recounting of the breakthrough research of Theodore Fujita, creator of the Fujita Scale for tornado wind speeds."
From Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.:
"His autobiographical discussion of his experiences, as well as others, with tornados, microbursts from severe thunderstorms, and hurricanes, and the development of improvements in the monitoring and dissemination of their threats that the public and commerce face with this weather feature is as interesting as the best fiction novel! After reading, you learn quite a bit about not only the science of forecasting, but also the people who were involved."
When I saw that Google had created a 30-year satellite time-lapse of Earth, I knew where the most impressive weather-related animations would be.
Whatever you call them -- "Ice Needling," "Ice Surges," or "Ice Shoves," or "Ice Heaves" -- a phenomenon that I first blogged about in 2009 is back -- with a vengeance!
17 years ago on this date, while I was taking my freshman exams at UNCA, a "cut-off" low was rumored to dump 57" of snow at nearby Mount Pisgah... but is that reading reliable?
Tornado reports and warnings are down for 2013 so far, and the last 12 months, but what about severe-thunderstorm-warned areas and lightning strikes?
The last two weeks have featured no less than four storm days, one with four storms, here in Central Pennsylvania and I've taken some neat pictures.
10,167 record lows have fallen so far in 2013, as well as 5,000 snowfall records. How does this compare to this time last year? The Ice Age cometh.
Jesse Ferrell
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