Everyone has an interest in the weather, whether to check the prospects for a trip or to know when it's best to harvest a crop. Earth's meteorological systems provide some of nature's most dramatic forces, from the extensive release of energy in a lightning bolt to the destructive impact of tornadoes and hurricanes.

For centuries, our only real guide to the future of the weather was tradition, but with the introduction of the first weather forecasts and charts during the Victorian era, attempts were made to provide some warnings of upcoming weather. Until recently, these forecasts could be very inaccurate. This is due to the mathematically chaotic nature of meteorological systems, discovered in the 1960s. Understanding this nature transformed forecasting from the 1990s and meant that meteorologists became some of the primary users of supercomputers.

From the crystalline perfection of a snowflake to the transfer of energy from the Sun, science is at the heart of weather and its understanding. In recent years, the science of weather has advanced to the forefront with sophisticated modeling, flexible use of satellite data, and better understanding of mathematical chaos. This is a true depiction of science in action.

Pages: 192, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm