WEATHER MAP HANDBOOK (COLOR)

The long-awaited Fourth Edition of WEATHER MAP HANDBOOK has arrived, providing a visual approach to forecasting in the mid and late-2020s. Designed to endure constant use at analysis and operations desks, this comprehensive guide details almost every meteorological chart in use today. It is tailored for the digital age, showcasing the preferred sources for professionals and offering a thorough list of weather map types, appropriate usage, weather map symbols, iconographs, and decoding information. The Fourth Edition phases out the older DIFAX charts and replaces them with up-to-date AWIPS graphics from the 2020s. This is the same forecast system used by the National Weather Service and often referred to in journals. The Fourth Edition complements our other top-selling title, Weather Analysis & Forecasting.

While the fundamental science of forecasting remains unchanged, the internet and innovative technologies have entirely transformed the process. In today's age, both weather enthusiasts and National Weather Service forecasters often access resources from the same websites. To help users navigate the ever-growing array of online weather imagery and data, the WEATHER MAP HANDBOOK employs a double-page format that covers a wide variety of weather maps, images, and products. Each entry includes background information, purpose, limitations, and useful tips, along with a summary of analysis symbols and chart markings. In-depth analysis is provided for surface, 850 mb, 700 mb, 500 mb, and 300-200 mb charts, as well as thickness, isentropic, and Q vector products.

Most sections of WEATHER MAP HANDBOOK have been thoroughly revised and rewritten, and updated with new information. New charts and resources have also been added. All web links have been inspected and updated. Some sections have been left intact, mostly those with historical perspective or of a more technical nature.

The book, as with the previous edition, dedicates a large chapter to the WSR-88D Doppler Radar, a crucial tool for United States weather services. This in-depth section covers the radar's essential features and algorithms, including considerable amounts of obscure and hard-to-find details. Readers will gain insight into everything from the Composite Reflectivity product's inner workings to the Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm's workings. All radar content has been extensively checked, rewritten, and revised.

The handbook delves into the specifics of various numerical forecast models, such as the GFS, NAM, ECMWF, and HRRR, with expanded emphasis on ensemble forecasting. The satellite chapter has been updated to cover the GOES-R series, explaining the creation and interpretation of visible, infrared, and water vapor imagery and adding a multispectral section. For weather observation, the METAR, TAF, SYNOP, and TEMP radiosonde formats are provided, complete with decoding instructions.

The book concludes with an appendix featuring surface and upper-level station plot models, an extensive technical glossary compiled from the NWS, SPC, and NCEP, and much more. The WEATHER MAP HANDBOOK is an invaluable resource for hobbyists, private forecasters, professionals, and students alike.

Who it's for

With technical content that's light on theory and complex information, Weather Map Handbook makes a great selection for avid professionals, weather enthusiasts, storm chasers, emergency managers, broadcasters, boaters, and anyone who wants to learn practical, everyday forecasting in an refreshing format.

About the author

Tim Vasquez began a meteorology career in 1984 writing the weather page for a Dallas newspaper. From 1989 to 1998 he was an Air Force meteorologist and worked at two television stations. He developed the Digital Atmosphere weather analysis software system in use worldwide. Residing in Texas, he is a software programmer, a consulting meteorologist, and a columnist for Weatherwise magazine.