To many of us, the weather forecast is how we decide what clothes to put on, if we really want to go for a walk, or if we need to leave earlier than normal to safely get to work. Today is National Weatherperson’s Day. It commemorates the birth of one of America’s first weathermen, John Jeffries, who started writing down his weather observations in 1774. The science of weather or the people working with that science aren’t things I normally think about even though I check the forecast every day, but since it’s their day, let’s celebrate with some weather-related books.
- The everything weather book : from daily forecasts to blizzards, hurricanes, and tornadoes : all you need to know to be your own weatherman by Mark Cantrell
- Extreme weather : a guide to surviving flash floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, snowstorms, tsunamis, and other natural disasters by Bonnie Schneider
- Freaks of the storm : from flying cows to stealing thunder, the world’s strangest true weather stories by Randy Cerveny
- Man vs. weather : how to be your own weatherman by Dennis DiClaudio
- Pioneers in the world of weather and climatology edited by Sherman Hollar
- Scanning the skies : a history of tornado forecasting by Marlene Bradford
- Storm kings : the untold history of America’s first tornado chasers by Lee Sandlin
- Warnings : the true story of how science tamed the weather by Mike Smith
- Weather on the air : a history of broadcast meteorology by Robert Henson
I used to have a favorite weatherman and one night, at a late movie showing, I saw him and asked for his autograph. I think he was confused, but he nicely signed the back of a random business card I had in my purse. Do you have/did you have a favorite weatherperson? If so, maybe thank them (or think nice thoughts about them) for letting you know if you’ll see the sun today.
-Aisha
Eleventh Stack 