Christmas weather books and Storm Chaser book review
Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey ($23.10 from Amazon) takes the reader on a spectacular photographic journey through the U.S., documenting four seasons of our beautiful and violent weather. Author Jim Reed makes a business of weather photography, and has spent over 15 years chasing storms and documenting their awesome beauty and violent destructive power. The 191-page book would make a perfect Christmas coffee table book for that weather enthusiast (yourself?) in the family, and has great photos of tornadoes, hurricanes, hailstorms, blizzards, sunsets, and lightning. The book is mostly photos, but there are several riveting stories Reed tells. Most captivating is the story of his encounter with Category 4 Hurricane Charley as it pounded Punta Gorda, Florida in 2004. Reed miscalculated his time needed to get to shelter, and got caught in his vehicle on the road in the eyewall. Luckily, his videotaped farewell for mother and friends done during the height of the storm was not needed, as he was able to find shelter during the 4-minute passage of the eye. Reed also braved Hurricane Katrina from the beach front, and tells an abbreviated version of his dramatic encounter with the hurricane from Gulfport, Mississippi. I also recommend Hurricane Katrina Through the Eyes of Storm Chasers ($14.96 from Amazon) to read the full tale of his Katrina experience.
Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey has a few flaws. The quality of the writing is not quite as high as that of my favorite storm chaser book, the now dated 1996 Warren Faidley book, Storm Chaser: In pursuit of untamed skies (no longer in print, but available used). Reed's text doesn't match up with the photos presented on the pages in places, and he makes a number of unwarranted connections between global warming and extreme weather events. For example, he blames the June 22, 2003 fall of volley ball-sized hailstones in Aurora, Kansas on global warming. No single weather event can be attributed to climate change--all we can say is that the probabilities of some extreme weather events have increased. For example, the incidence of extreme precipitation events (the heaviest 1% of rain storms) has increased 20% over the U.S. in recent decades. No scientific papers have been published showing a link between tornadoes or hailstorms and climate change. That quibble aside, I heartily recommend Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey. The photos are fantastic. Three and a half stars out of four.
Best weather books published in 2007
Weather Photography:
Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey ($23.10 from Amazon).
Climate change:
Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming by Chris Mooney ($17.16 from Amazon). See the realclimate.org review. I'll be posting a review of my own at some point.
General Weather:
Extreme Weather: A Guide and Record Book by Christopher Burt ($17.13 from Amazon). I hope to review this book soon.
Hurricanes:
Hurricane Almanac by Bryan Norcross ($11.04 from Amazon). See my review of the book.
Tornadoes:
Storm Warning: the Story of a Killer Tornado by Nancy Mathis ($16.32 from Amazon). See my review of the book.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Tropical Cyclone Advisory #4
=============================
As of 0600 AM UTC, Tropical Depression [996 hPa] located near 14.0S 82.5E or 2,930 kms east-northeast of Reunion coast has 10 min sustained winds of 30 knots with gusts up to 45 knots. The depression is reported as moving southwest at 6 knots.
Dvorak Intensity: T2.5
Gale Warning Area
=====================
30 NM radius of the center
60 NM from the center in southern semi-circle
Forecast and Intensity
==========================
12 HRS: 14.7S 82.2E - 35 knots (Tempête Tropicale Moderée)
24 HRS: 15.7S 82.1E - 40 knots (Tempête Tropicale Moderée)
Additional Information
======================
The system exists within an environment favorable for gradually intensification. It should remain on the eastern part of the basin, and track globally southward then southeastward as it intensifies.
Tropical Depression 05R/Tropical Cyclone 07S
0830 UTC DEC 19 2007
Pattern: A 1 degree CDO with an embedded curved band about 0.80 arc.
Current Intensity: CI 3.0
Adjustments: MET shows cyclone intensity at 3.5
Final CI: 3.0/3.5
Dvorak Trends:
0030 UTC DEC 17 - CI 1.5
1030 UTC DEC 17 - CI 1.7
1500 UTC DEC 17 - CI 2.2
2300 UTC DEC 17 - CI 2.5
1030 UTC DEC 18 - CI 2.5
1430 UTC DEC 18 - CI 2.5
1955 UTC DEC 18 - CI 2.5
0100 UTC DEC 19 - CI 2.7
0830 UTC DEC 19 - CI 3.0/3.5
456, thank you for the info yesterday. Keep it coming. Now that I am out of classes, I can study the Dvorak technique during my spare time during my winter vacation.
Anyone know if there is rain headed to the Southeast US anytime soon?
Orlando Sentinel Story
Human error prevented many people in Central Florida from getting tornado-warning alerts on their weather radios during a storm Sunday, a National Weather Service spokesman said Tuesday.
A National Weather Service employee turned down power to an Orlando transmitter for testing Thursday and forgot to turn it back up. That resulted in sporadic signal coverage from the transmitter.
Ike, yep, we need exciting weather events to hold our attention! LOL
Hard to be excited when its 60F, sunny and a nearly perfect day for December! Bay is flat and looks like a mirror reflecting the glorious of nature! Not much to talk about. But sure is a day to enjoy!
i will email u the eye patter and some other adjustments, rules and contraints...as soon as i get home
1630 UTC DEC 19 2007
Pattern: Infrared imagery continues to show a solid dense overcast about 1/2-3/4 of a degree in diameter. The curved bands of the deepest convection has extended out further and around the cloud system centre (CSC). Thus the CI will raised to 3.5.
Current Intensity: CI 3.5
Adjustments: Model expected data agrees with 3.5.
Final Estimate: CI 3.5
Dvorak Trends:
Dvorak Trends:
0030 UTC DEC 17 - CI 1.5
1030 UTC DEC 17 - CI 1.7
1500 UTC DEC 17 - CI 2.2
2300 UTC DEC 17 - CI 2.5
1030 UTC DEC 18 - CI 2.5
1430 UTC DEC 18 - CI 2.5
1955 UTC DEC 18 - CI 2.5
0100 UTC DEC 19 - CI 2.7
0830 UTC DEC 19 - CI 3.0
1630 UTC DEC 19 - CI 3.5
Warm out right now...mid 70's!
Its warmed up here, too. A "balmy" 36 degrees...
Trade Ya!!
Strong winds gusted over the Gulf of Mexico on December 16, 2007, and though the wind is invisible in these photo-like snapshots, its presence is written in the clouds and on the surface of the water. The image, captured by the MODIS on NASA's Aqua satellite on the afternoon of December 16, shows long rows of clouds called cloud streets that are combed into a sweeping curve by the northwest wind. The clouds formed when cold, dry air blowing out of the northwest encountered warm, moist air over the gulf. The fast-moving cold air chilled the moist air until the water vapor condensed into clouds that followed the wind%u2019s path.
In addition to the long vertical lines that align with the wind direction, clusters of waves cut across the clouds parallel to the shore. These lines are the [frontal] waves created when the cold, dry air collided with and rose over the mass of warm, moist air. Like the waves that rise and fall through water after it hits a retaining wall, these waves ripple across the front of the cold air mass where it clashes with the stable, warm air. The dark horizontal lines are cloud-free areas where the oscillating cold air dips into the warmer air beneath it. The air is too warm in the trough of the waves for clouds to form.
courtesy: Nasa
higher resolution
http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/images/image12192007_1km.jpg
MODIS
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime/2007353/
extremely large waves in the Atlantic of Brazil
Link
heres some of Libya
Buffalo, New York
37 °F / 3 °C
Light Drizzle
Humidity: 79%
Dew Point: 31 °F / -1 °C
Wind: 13 mph / 20 km/h / 5.7 m/s from the SW
Pressure: 29.93 in / 1014 hPa (Falling)
Windchill: 29 °F / -2 °C
Visibility: 7.0 miles / 11.3 kilometers
UV: 0 out of 16
Clouds: Overcast 1900 ft / 579 m
(Above Ground Level)
Snow Depth: 7.0 in / 17.78 cm
Raw METAR Aviation
Flight Rule: MVFR (KBUF)
Wind Speed: 13 mph / 20 km/h / 5.7 m/s
Wind Dir: 220° (SW)
Ceiling: 1900 ft / 579 m
here's a pretty one just east of Madagascar
Viewing: 51 - 101
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