The Weather of the Pacific Northwest [Paperback]

Cliff Mass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2008

The Pacific Northwest experiences the most varied and fascinating weather in the United States, including world-record winter snows, the strongest non-tropical storms in the nation, and shifts from desert to rain forest in a matter of miles. Local weather features dominate the meteorological landscape, from the Puget Sound convergence zone and wind surges along the Washington Coast, to gap winds through the Columbia Gorge and the "Banana Belt" of southern Oregon. This book is the first comprehensive and authoritative guide to Northwest weather that is directed to the general reader; helpful to boaters, hikers, and skiers; and valuable to an expert meteorologist.In "The Weather of the Pacific Northwest", University of Washington atmospheric scientist and popular radio commentator Cliff Mass unravels the intricacies of Northwest weather, from the mundane to the mystifying. By examining our legendary floods, snowstorms, and windstorms, and a wide variety of local weather features, Mass answers such interesting questions as: Why does the Northwest have localized rain shadows? What is the origin of the hurricane force winds that often buffet the region? Why does the Northwest have so few thunderstorms? What is the origin of the Pineapple Express? Why do ferryboats sometimes seem to float above the water's surface? Why is it so hard to predict Northwest weather?Mass brings together eyewitness accounts, historical records, and meteorological science to explain Pacific Northwest weather. He also considers possible local effects due to global warming. The final chapters guide readers in interpreting the Northwest sky and in securing weather information on their own. Cliff Mass, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington and weekly guest on KUOW, is the preeminent authority on Northwest weather. He has published dozens of articles on Northwest weather and leads the regional development of advanced weather prediction tools.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Cliff Mass has written an excellent, clear and comprehensive survey of weather in this region covering the origin and incidence of all major weather phenomena in the Northwest from rain to wind to snow to drought to optical illusions. Weather, as Cliff makes abundantly clear, is not just a source of griping or amusement or awe in this region, but often a life and death matter." David Laskin, author of Rains All the Time and The Children's Blizzard "The book uniquely includes solid scientific rigor in explanations that help to unravel the many mysteries and curiosities of the weather in the Pacific Northwest. It provides an unsurpassed opportunity to interested laypersons and weather enthusiasts to learn not only about the many weather events that occur in the Northwest but also to understand the meteorological principles that are at the root of their existence." Brad Colman, NOAA/National Weather Service

From the Publisher

"Cliff Mass has written an excellent, clear and comprehensive survey of weather in this region covering the origin and incidence of all major weather phenomena in the Northwest from rain to wind to snow to drought to optical illusions. Weather, as Cliff makes abundantly clear, is not just a source of griping or amusement or awe in this region, but often a life and death matter." - David Laskin, author of Rains All the Time and The Children's Blizzard

"The book uniquely includes solid scientific rigor in explanations that help to unravel the many mysteries and curiosities of the weather in the Pacific Northwest. It provides an unsurpassed opportunity to interested laypersons and weather enthusiasts to learn not only about the many weather events that occur in the Northwest but also to understand the meteorological principles that are at the root of their existence." - Brad Colman, NOAA/National Weather Service

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: University of Washington Press; 1st edition (October 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0295988479
• ISBN-13: 978-0295988474
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and Informative, November 19, 2008

By 

Sanguine "Sanguine" (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Weather of the Pacific Northwest (Paperback)

As a Northwest transplant, I've always wondered why the storms out here are so very different from those in the midwest. Mass explains all of this in an accessible, easy to understand way. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the full-color graphics help the reader under the mechanics and movement of weather. I love the discussion of the historical floods (including the whopper in December 2006 that felt of hurricane intensity) and the chapter on how to "forecast" the weather on your own. This is a truly great weather and climate book -- straightforward yet complex, sober in its science yet exciting in its practical immediacy. I've already bought an extra copy for a friend for Christmas who is a committed weather buff.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great if you live in the Pacific Northwest, January 27, 2009

By 

cltinseattle (Seattle) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Weather of the Pacific Northwest (Paperback)

If you live in the Pacific Northwest and you are interested in our weather - and how can you not be? - this is the book for you. Cliff Mass gets you interested by giving a history of some of our most noteworthy storms. The Columbus Day storm, The Inauguration Day storm, The Hannukah Eve storm, etc. For example: Why was the damage from the Hannukah Eve storm so much more extensive than the damage from the Columbus Day storm? Why are our storms not called hurricanes when we get them with hurricane force winds? This book also gives you the science behind our weather in easy to understand language with great illustrations. I only hope that Cliff will come out with another version someday that will remind us of events like the December 2008 "100-year" snowstorm that happened after this book was published.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Happy Teenager, February 5, 2009

By 

Auntie Jo "Auntie" (Lake Stevens, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Weather of the Pacific Northwest (Paperback)

I purchased the book for my teenage nephew who loves anyting to do with weather. He couldn't put it down! Ran to tell his Grandparents about the great book and I think has committed the whole thing to memory by now!