From Kirkus Reviews
Radical-event meteorologist Bluestein (Univ. of Oklahoma) depicts with paint-by-number clarity (albeit with a more delicately shaded and elegant end product) the lives and quirky personalities of severe storms, particularly tornadoes. Tornadoes are one of the last frontiers of atmospheric science because, being on the ferocious and elusive side they don't exactly lend themselves to intimate study. And it doesn't help that these most violent of storms come in multiple personalities: Sometimes theyre accompanied by powerful thunderstorms and mega-hail, sometimes not; they spin counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern, and sometimes the reverse; they are oriented vertically, or not; they occur at all times of day, be it cold or hot; they proceed along a course, unless they decide to turn around. Bluestein shuffles between explaining what has been learned of severe-storm physics (and the wealth of instruments deployed to measure wind, temperature, pressure, and electrical behavior) and yarn-spinning his and his fellow storm-chasers antics. Its a tribute to Bluestein that he can keep the attention of those who are less than weather junkies, even when he must get across to readers that ``air being squirted in the main updraft at the tropopause level has enough kinetic energy to flow back against the upper level winds.'' The descriptions of the storms themselves are nothing less than awesome. In one, a man peers into the heart of a tornado as it slowly jumps over him, revealing its half-mile-high walls of rotating, debris-strewn air, an infernal chamber backlit by a spectacular electrical light show. This fusion of the terrible and the sublime has spawned an artful lexicon: updrafts and downshears, splashing cirrus and overshooting tops (not to mention the less poetically named mountainadoes and gustanadoes). An entrancing summary of what is known and conjectured about tornadoes, from a man who has been running after them for over 20 years. (67 color, 44 b&w photos, 50 illustrations, not seen) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
"The descriptions of the storms themselves are nothing less than awesome..., An entrancing summary of what is known and conjectured about tornadoes, from a man who has been running after them for over 20 years."―Kirkus Reviews
"Bluestein has succeeded in writing the first serious book on storm chasing. He skillfuly blends tornado theory, observations, and models with his own spectacular photographs into a coherent story of what it's like to `be there' for more than 20 years of storm chases in the Great Plains. Written in a straightforward, non-technical style, Tornado Alley will capture the interest of readers intrigued with and yes, even terrified of, Planet Earth's most violent weather phenomena."―James F. Kimpel, Director, National Severe Storms Laboratory
"Professor Bluestein has painted a captivating portrait of one of the great wonders of nature, demonstrating that scientific revelation can enhance our sense of awe and beauty. He has done for the tornado what E.O. Wilson did for the ant and Jack London for the wolf."―Kerry Emanuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"Howie Bluestein is an innovator in tornado research. He has written a book useful to the professional meteorologist but still understandable to the weather hobbyist. His enthusiasm for the subject is obvious―personal reflections make this book a pleasure to read."―Valerie Voss, CNN Senior Meteorologist
"Tornadoes are the Tyrannosaurs Rex of the atmosphere. Howie Bluestein is one of the world's leading tornado researchers and takes us on an exciting scientific ride to the land of these monsters. He captures the excitement of `the chase' in words and pictures like few authors can. Not only a chase to see and document nature's most fearsome whirlwinds, but the chase and excitement of science and scientists as they seek to unravel the mysteries of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. From taking us from the early days of tornado research, to an encounter with an F5 monster, to helping us better understand how thunderstorms form, to a day when cowboys lassoed an errant instrument, Tornado Alley is a written and visual treat for anyone who has ever been fascinated by the awesome power of nature, and wondered what it would be like to be on the ultimate chase...not only to see but to understand."―Bob Ryan, meteorologist, WRC-TV, Washington, D.C.
"For anyone who has a passion and respect for severe weather, you will love this book. It's a true F6."―Jim Cantore, meteorologist
"Dozens of the author's own photographs show the mesmerizing power of tornadoes as his text reflects the conversion of an enthusiasm into a profession."―Booklist
"Bluestein masterfully weaves his experiences together with his insights into this constantly evolving field of research."―Roger A. Pielke, Sr Nature
"The photographer/scientist Bluestein included something for everybody: numerous color photographs of tornadoes and convective clouds; diagrams of storm and atmospheric structure; and tales of chasing tornadoes in cars, trucks, and planes equipped with weather instruments and cameras for documenting storm behavior."―Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
"Extraordinary images and detailed explanations of atmospheric phenomena paint a true picture of the science behind storm chasing... Tornado Alley now occupies a prominent postion on my bookshelf as it should yours. It is far too beautiful a gem for a coffee table."―Weatherwise
About the Author
Howard Bluestein is Professor of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma and is frequently a visiting scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. He is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, and his cloud photographs have appeared worldwide in magazines,
books, calendars, and museums. He lives in Norman, Oklahoma and Boulder, Colorado.
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