Cloud Warriors
Deadly Storms, Climate Chaos—and the Pioneers Creating a Revolution in Weather Forecasting
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
The unprecedented inside story of the people pushing boundaries of science and technology to build better weather forecasts—providing life-saving warnings and crucial intelligence about nature’s deadliest threats
Killer tornadoes. Catastrophic hurricanes. Lethal heat waves. Across the United States and around the world, extreme weather events bring an unending torrent of death and destruction. One indispensable tool consistently offers the ability to help reduce the impact of these calamities: the weather forecast. For centuries, humans have sought to foretell nature’s next moves, from ancient farmers to trailblazers of the Space Age, who brought computers and satellites to bear on the problem. Now a new wave of advances, including artificial intelligence and data-gathering drones, makes it possible to accurately detect these fearsome events further in advance. They provide critical time to prepare and get people out of harm’s way—an undertaking made ever more urgent by the effects of climate change.
In a remarkable tale of innovation and perseverance, veteran journalist Thomas E. Weber takes readers into the world of the pioneers creating these game-changing forecasts. From storm chasers racing to hunt twisters and physicists unraveling the secrets of the atmosphere, from scientists studying how people react to warnings to humanitarian groups rushing to avert famines, Weber goes behind the scenes to show how predictions keep getting better. He explains what’s needed to turn these forecasts into actions that prevent tragedies and how anyone can become more weather literate to protect themselves in emergencies. Cloud Warriors will change the way you think about treacherous weather—and the power of being able to see it coming.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This eye-opening debut investigation from journalist Weber examines contemporary efforts to improve weather predictions. Among those profiled is a meteorologist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts who develops complex computer models that look as far as two years into the future by taking into account such minute phenomena as humidity changes from the evaporation of moisture from soil. Weber also tags along as a plucky storm chaser with the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Oklahoma braves hail and fierce winds while driving his truck, outfitted with meteorological equipment, into dangerous conditions to collect data on why certain storms produce tornadoes. Emphasizing the need for accurate weather forecasting in a warming world, Weber recounts how the government of Zimbabwe avoided famine in 2023 by distributing seeds of drought-resistant crops amid predictions of an unusually arid growing season. The vibrant profiles highlight the passion, expertise, and commitment of weather researchers, and the smart blend of meteorology and sociology reveals how extreme weather disproportionately affects the poor. For instance, Weber discusses how a campaign to create "heat maps" of American cities found that the hottest neighborhoods, with little tree cover and few parks, are low-income and home to primarily Black and Hispanic residents. It's an impassioned case for the value of weather forecasting.
