The Weather Machine
A Journey Inside the Forecast
-
- $16.99
Publisher Description
From the acclaimed author of Tubes, a lively and surprising tour through the global network that predicts our weather, the people behind it, and what it reveals about our climate and our planet
The weather is the foundation of our daily lives. It’s a staple of small talk, the app on our smartphones, and often the first thing we check each morning. Yet, behind all these humble interactions is the largest and most elaborate piece of infrastructure human beings have ever constructed—a triumph of both science and global cooperation. But what is the weather machine, and who created it?
In The Weather Machine, Andrew Blum takes readers on a fascinating journey through the people, places, and tools of forecasting, exploring how the weather went from something we simply observed to something we could actually predict. As he travels across the planet, he visits some of the oldest and most important weather stations and watches the newest satellites blast off. He explores the dogged efforts of forecasters to create a supercomputer model of the atmosphere, while trying to grasp the ongoing relevance of TV weather forecasters.
In the increasingly unpredictable world of climate change, correctly understanding the weather is vital. Written with the sharp wit and infectious curiosity Andrew Blum is known for, The Weather Machine pulls back the curtain on a universal part of our everyday lives, illuminating our changing relationships with technology, the planet, and our global community.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Meteorology is "a wonder we treat as a banality," argues journalist Blum (Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet) in his deep dive into the field's evolution. While humanity had long struggled to predict weather with some degree of accuracy, it wasn't possible until the telegraph's mid-19th-century arrival. The ability to recognize and share timely information led to a better understanding of weather patterns, first on a continent-wide and eventually on a global scale. This, along with a few happy accidents and some really tough math, led to the development and refinement of the systems which people know and complain about today. Excursions to forecasting labs and weather stations around the world, along with interviews with behind-the-scenes scientists, fill in the blanks, while asides on the political ramifications of weather satellites and global forecasting and on Thomas Jefferson's early forays into forecasting add depth and intrigue. Thanks to Blum's immersive research, readers will come away with a greater appreciation for the hard work that goes into something often taken for granted.
