Weather Forecasting Handbook (5th Edition) (Paperback)

~ Tim Vasquez (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Information Age has blossomed and now anyone can run a weather center from their own office or home. Unfortunately, nearly all popular weather books are nothing more than essays on the science of meteorology. The Weather Forecasting Handbook breaks this mold by explaining all the latest forecasting principles, techniques, and tools.

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, education stories, and even a few fun weather jokes. With added emphasis on analysis, visualization, and awareness of model limitations, readers learn to learn tools properly and are always a step ahead.

The Weather Forecasting Handbook is a must-have for all meteorology students, advanced weather hobbyists, professionals, weathercasters, storm chasers, sailors, and pilots. Whether you want to know how a short wave works, how to find a front, what isentropic surfaces are, how to analyze a 500-millibar chart, what type of vertical motion to expect around jet streaks, or why a high pressure area is building, the Weather Forecasting Handbook's no-nonsense approach will give you a solid foundation to understanding everyday forecasting problems.

This version adds 41 pages and 46 illustrations compared to the previous (fourth) edition. It includes expanded information on numerous topics, especially on the subject of analysis, and adds minor corrections.

192 illustrations, 7 x 10", color cover.

About the Author

Tim Vasquez draws on an extensive tapestry of meteorological experience, which started in his childhood years in California, Germany, the Philippines, Arizona, and Texas. After managing the weather page of a Dallas newspaper for five years, he spent ten years in the Air Force, where he provided aviation weather forecasting and support in Texas, Nevada, England, Korea, and Kenya, as well as television work for AFRTS and KTXS-12 in Abilene. Tim has been an active storm chaser since 1986, an activity where there is no tolerance for forecasting errors. He has also written a suite of weather forecasting tools used extensively within the weather industry, such as Digital Atmosphere. Tim is owner of Weather Graphics Technologies and lives near Norman, Oklahoma with his wife Shannon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Weather Graphics Technologies; 5th edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970684029
• ISBN-13: 978-0970684028
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #269,726 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book on Forecasting!, September 8, 2002

By	Stacie Hatcher (Peachtree City, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This book is the first book to truly go into detail on exactly what goes into professional and non-professional forecasts. The author explains the fundamentals of forecasting while leaving out textbook-style boredom. This book is perfect for beginners who want to learn how to forecast and also veterans who need to brush up. This book explains somewhat hard-to-explain-topics with ease. I am a 4th year meteorology student, and I find the book riveting. Very well researched and extremely thorough, the author is a master at forecasting for the most dangerous area in the world: tornado alley. He knows what he's talking about! Do yourself a favor and buy it. This is the best book on the subject I have ever read, and I have read a lot!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Broad and Good Coverage, February 23, 2005

By	Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As the author points out, this does fill the gap between novice (not beginner) and advanced books. That said, it is probably not for someone who is not really interested in weather forecasting as a serious hobby or profession. There is a wealth of information and it is organized very well. It is something that you will certainly want to pick up many times as your knowledge grows about this subject.

The appendix has a good amount of information that will further research. At the end are a bunch of analysis charts so that you can apply your knowledge. This would also be suitable as college material and each chapter has some questions to reinforce the learning of the material.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on mtetorology, September 13, 2002

By A Customer

I'm a meteorologist from Poland. Here we have great lack of good books on forecasting techniques. All meteo books are to high technical with equations on almost every page or written by amateurs, usually people without meteorological background. Tim's textbook is what I've looking for since graduate in atmospheric physics in mid 90s. I think it is a very good book for everyone and I'm happy I was able to by to read it.