The Secret World of Weather: How To Read Signs in Every Cloud, Breeze, Hill, Street, Plant, Animal, and Dewdrop

From the start of this guide to weather, Gooley has a grudge against meteorologists, whose forecasts he believes to be practically useless. Weather forecasting is not done on a human scale, he writes, and has become divorced from the landscapes or cityscapes that shape the weather in their immediate vicinity. Gooley, author of several books on interpreting signs in nature, focuses here on microclimates. By noting such things as clouds, vegetation, or the lay of the land, he writes, one may be able to predict precipitation or temperature changes in the next hours or determine where to go to cool down or warm up. Though Gooley is based in the UK, his photograph-rich book is applicable to the entire north temperate zone (including North America, Europe, and Asia); temperatures are given in both Fahrenheit and Celsius; and he cites examples of weather events from around the world. Photographs and maps help bring weather events and patterns into focus.