Synopses & Reviews
University of Washington atmospheric scientist and popular radio commentator Cliff Mass unravels the intricacies of Northwest weather, from the mundane to the mystifying. Accessible descriptions and illustrations of complex phenomena explain how terrain affects precipitation, how water bodies influence temperature, why windstorms follow particular tracks, and even why ferryboats seem to float above the water's surface.
Review
"Mass... debunks the myth that the weather here is bland, mild and dreary.... [His book's] depth and breadth should appeal to anyone who has wondered why Hood River gets consistently strong winds or what cloud patterns really mean for storm conditions in the Cascades." Katie Schneider, The Oregonian
Synopsis
University of Washington atmospheric scientist and popular radio commentator Mass unravels the intricacies of Northwest weather, from the mundane to the mystifying. 281 color illustrations.
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.