A Chronology of Weather

by Allaby, Michael; Garratt, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780816047925
• ISBN10: 0816047928
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-11-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Targeted for middle school and high school students, teachers, and general readers, Facts On File's updated and expanded Dangerous Weather series is a collection of compelling illustrated books on the extreme weather conditions that threaten our environment and population. Michael Allaby, a noted writer on topics related to weather and climate, offers an authoritative yet lively text that is enhanced by impressive line illustrations evoking the far-reaching effects of treacherous weather activity.

Author Biography

Michael Allaby is the author, coauthor, or editor of more than 40 books, mainly on science, natural history, and environmental topics.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction	ix
History of Our Weather	1	(7)
As the ice retreated	2	(1)
Moving continents	2	(2)
When the Sahara was green	4	(1)
Vikings in Greenland	5	(1)
The Little Ice Age	6	(1)
The greenhouse effect	6	(2)
History of the Science of Weather	8	(10)
Weather lore	10	(1)
Invention of instruments	11	(1)
The telegraph and the first weather forecasts	12	(1)
Weather balloons	13	(1)
Weather satellites	14	(4)
A Chronicle of Destruction: 5,000 Years of Dangerous Weather	18	(64)
A Chronology of Discovery	82	(57)
Weather Data	139	(9)
Glossary	148	(30)
Bibliography and further reading	178	(11)
Index	189

Excerpts

Exploring many aspects of weather, A Chronology of Weather, Revised Edition has been updated to include the most recent research and events in the field. Organized and written in an easy-to-follow style, author Michael Allaby answers the most important questions students and non-specialists have about weather and provides a general overview of the current information that shapes the way weather is understood and studied.
Features include discussion of how the climates of the world have changed over the centuries; a 5,000-year chronology of dangerous weather, from ca. 3200 BCE to the present; and a chronology of discoveries listing important developments in the understanding of weather. Biographies of noted weather scientists and advances in forecasting are also included. Easy-to-perform experiments (requiring no special equipment) that explore various aspects of weather and weather science are provided, along with information on weather classification and measurement scales, including the Beaufort Scale of Wind Strength, the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale, and the Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale. A glossary of terms and concepts used throughout the book and set ensures students will find all the Dangerous Weather volumes accessible and easy to understand.