Hurricane Watch: Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth

by Jack Williams and Bob Sheets

Book Overview

The ultimate guide to the ultimate storms, Hurricane Watch is a fascinating blend of science and history from one of the world's foremost meteorologists and an award-winning science journalist. This... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 037570390X
• ISBN13: 9780375703904
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Prophetic

This book is like a Colombo murder mystery. You know "who did it," it's just will he or she be caught in time. The answer to the question, in this case, is "no." Dr Sheet's book is a very thorough commentary on the history and study of hurricanes. He provides the reader with an interesting background narrative of hurricanes and their destructiveness that dates from the early experiences of Spanish explorers and early European settlers in the Caribbean, the east and southeast coasts of the US and Canada. He also discusses the typhoon or cyclone in the Pacific and the odd phenomenon that dictates that when there are more of these, there are fewer hurricanes in the Atlantic. He also covers the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño, though to a lesser degree than Brian Fagan did in one of his weather/climate discussions. Of far greater historical interest-to me anyway-is his discussion of the various personalities involved in researching hurricanes. It's surprising how much solid study was conducted as early as the 19th century. The author also describes the big name hurricanes. Probably the best is his own experience of Hurricane Andrew in Florida. The story is riveting, especially when, having lived through a very precarious situation himself, he expresses concern over the very real possibility that the storm might move on into the Gulf of Mexico and hit New Orleans. The book was written in the late 1990s, but he is able to thoroughly describe the potential destruction should a hurricane hit the city in full force. As we know, Andrew did not move into the New Orleans area, but Katrina did. The outcome was much as the author had predicted. With so much foresight, it makes one wonder why authorities could have been so lax in taking precautions. It was, in fact, much as many had already said, a case of "not if, but when." The answer seems to reside in that peculiar sense of probability that dictates that "if it didn't happen in my grandfather's time, and it didn't happen in my father's time, it won't happen mine." Human experience of climate is actually the experience of weather, a relatively short-term phenomenon. While the human life span seems quite long compared to other types of animal, it's infinitesimally short compared to the age of the earth, which is the time frame of climate. It's this grander scale of climatic change that makes the discussions over global warming so contentious, and the appropriate actions to be taken the subject of feud. Everyone has his or her own opinion, and the fact is that we really don't know. The author makes this point when he discusses the possibility that there will be more frequent and more destructive storms with the advent of global warming. Here too, they don't know, but the author is inclined to doubt it. That there will be storms as destructive as Andrew he accepts; that they will be more costly he agrees. But he feels that the latter will be due more to the increasing popu

Lots of good information!

I was in the middle of reading this book when Hurricane Katrina started heading toward us here in Louisiana. While everyone else was talking about the hurricane and its projected path, I was able to understand exactly what the forecasters were talking about. This book explains the dynamics of a hurricane very well - how, where and why they form, and an explanation of the weather phenomena that forecasters (and forecasting models) use to project its path. One thing this book has made me realize is that weather is an imperfect science. It seems many people think forecasters are pointless because they're often wrong, but what they don't realize is that there is a LOT we don't know about weather. And we're a lot better off knowing what we know today! It is also strange to continue reading this after Katrina, because there is mention of intense, deadly hurricanes throughout history - and Katrina has really set a new precedent (Rewrite? Heck, I'd buy a 2nd edition!). This is a book that calls for a re-reading anyway. It is so jam-packed with interesting information. There are many explanations of weather phenomena that I had to read several times over because I'm not a scientifically-minded person. This book explains things very well - but I find that with weather-talk, it helps to have diagrams. Unfortunately, this book has very few (in fact, looking through, I can only find one diagram). This book has excellent appendices! --> A list of hurricane names (2001-06), retired hurricane names. The hurricane probabilities chart is particularly fascinating - it lists names of Atlantic/Gulf coast cities and the probabilities of a hurricane/major hurricane hitting within a given year (Miami/Ft Lauderdale appear to be the two most vulnerable areas). Strongest hurricanes, most deadly hurricanes, most expensive hurricanes (including what past hurricanes would cost today). A glossary of forecasting models. A separate glossary of hurricane terminology. All excellent additions to this book!! <br /> <br />If you are reading this review, it means you're interested in hurricane books. And if that's the case, you NEED to read this one! - especially if you don't know much about the dynamics of hurricanes. (and if you live on either the Atlantic or Gulf coast)

A must read for any meteorologist - professional or amateur

I'm not even quite finished this book and I'm total impressed and ingrossed with it, and sorry to see that I'm near the end. It not only describes things in simple terms but it also traces the history of hurricanes with various accounts that are entertaining and/or sobering. In this way it caters for all types, those who want the facts and those who don't mind it being done in a story-like fashion. This makes it refreshing when compared to 'stuffy' text books on the subject.Great work, well thought out and excellent integration of the material. I wish there could be a sequel :-)

A New Seminal Work on Hurricanes!

A lot of people have been waiting a long time for a Hurricane book like this one! This is a well integrated history of hurricanes and hurricanes forecasting. By well integrated I mean that it deals with the sociological and political implications of hurricanes as well as the science and pure history. The combination of a journalist and a meteorologist is perfect. The anecdotes are very well chosen and insightful. It is a very readable book.I would recommend that this book be the center of a high school honors course anywhere where hurricanes are part of the environment. It is a great spring board for studies in History, Science, Mathematics and Government. It really is that good.It deserves to be a prize winner and a best seller.

You will re-read this book each Hurricane season

Hurricane Watch should be read and re-read, from those who trade on Wall Street, to the trading pits in Chicago, from history buffs to the millions of "closet" weather fanatics, not to mention the nearly 100 million American's that are at risk by the most destructive storm on Earth! Hurricane Watch gracefully details the past, present and future casualties and catastrophic economic losses that hurricanes have created and will unleash in the not-so-distant future... Sheets and Williams do a tremendous job of "filling in the holes" of why meteorologists pursue the perfect hurricane forecast.JG