The Weather of the Pacific Northwest - Softcover

Mass, Cliff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0295988479 ISBN 13: 9780295988474

Publisher: University of Washington Press, 2008

Synopsis

The Pacific Northwest experiences the most varied and fascinating weather in the United States, including world-record winter snows, the strongest non-tropical storms in the nation, and shifts from desert to rain forest in a matter of miles. Local weather features dominate the meteorological landscape, from the Puget Sound convergence zone and wind surges along the Washington Coast, to gap winds through the Columbia Gorge and the "Banana Belt" of southern Oregon. This book is the first comprehensive and authoritative guide to Northwest weather that is directed to the general reader; helpful to boaters, hikers, and skiers; and valuable to expert meteorologists. In The Weather of the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington atmospheric scientist and popular radio commentator Cliff Mass unravels the intricacies of Northwest weather, from the mundane to the mystifying. By examining our legendary floods, snowstorms, and windstorms, and a wide variety of local weather features, Mass answers such interesting questions as: o Why does the Northwest have localized rain shadows? o What is the origin of the hurricane force winds that often buffet the region? o Why does the Northwest have so few thunderstorms? o What is the origin of the Pineapple Express? o Why do ferryboats sometimes seem to float above the water's surface? o Why is it so hard to predict Northwest weather? Mass brings together eyewitness accounts, historical records, and meteorological science to explain Pacific Northwest weather. He also considers possible local effects of global warming. The final chapters guide readers in interpreting the Northwest sky and in securing weather information on their own.

About this title

Review

In this richly illustrated book, Cliff Mass draws on his distinguished research career in the Puget Sound area to provide a fascinating account of the weather and climate of the region.. Covered in separate chapters are floods, snow storms and ice storms, windstorms, sea breezes, land breezes and slope winds, mountain-related phenomena, and even optical phenomena such as mirages that give the impression of 'floating ferries.'.. With this material in hand, anyone can become an informed armchair weather forecaster.

--BC Studies

Mass' book, The Weather of the Pacific Northwest, is terrific, with great explanations of the many phenomena that impact our region, and with clear charts, graphics, and excellent photos to match.

--Crosscut.com

These captivating facts from a local atmospheric science guru will elevate your chitchat from 'Hey look, it's raining again, ' to 'Do you know the origins of the Pineapple Express?' .

--Seattle Magazine

We grouse about it. We joke about it. We gab about it. But the one thing many of us seldom do with Northwest weather is develop some knowledge about it. That no longer need be the case with the arrival of Cliff Mass' illuminating new book, The Weather of the Pacific Northwest . . . . an often-fascinating examination of the whys and wheres of this region's complex weather, an appealing volume greatly enhanced by lavish color photos, diagrams and graphs . . . . [and] a worthy new addition to bookshelves throughout this region, especially for residents who would rather garner some insight into Northwest weather and not just grouse about it.

--Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[The Weather of the Pacific Northwest] may be used to teach 101-level college courses, but it's aimed at us, the weather-using public. There's a sky-spotting index for armchair forecasters, easy-to-follow charts and diagrams, and some disaster lore to help illustrate what happens when low-pressure zones and jet stream deviations collide.

--Seattle Weekly

A fine and authoritative account of the region's remarkably varied weather.

--Oregon Historical Quarterly

This book cleverly combines the best of four genres: a coffee-table book, an almanac of typical and extreme weather, a narrative of significant weather disasters in the Pacific Northwest United States, and a scientific discussion of the reasons for this weather.. This book could enhance high-school science and geography classes, and would be an important resource and text book for university undergrads in meteorology survey courses.

--Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

The Weather of the Pacific Northwest offers a clearly written, well-illustrated, and interesting look at the varied weather of this region of the country . . . . The book is written so as to be most appealing to the layperson rather than the serious academic researcher. Recommended.

--Choice

The book draws on the most current science . . . . It's written in a clear, simple style aimed at the layman, but with enough sophistication and detail to satisfy serious weather aficionados. Colorful photos and graphics enliven the text and make technical concepts easier to grasp.

--Seattle Times

The Weather of the Pacific Northwest is a handsome tome . . . . And his book, like few other books ever could, hits us where we live.

--City Living

About the Author

Cliff Mass , professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington and weekly guest on KUOW radio, is the preeminent authority on Northwest weather. He has published dozens of articles on Northwest weather and leads the regional development of advanced weather prediction tools.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0295988479
• ISBN 13: 9780295988474
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336