The Weather Machine: A Journey Inside the Forecast

Meteorology is “a wonder we treat as a banality,” argues journalist Blum (Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet) in his deep dive into the field’s evolution. While humanity had long struggled to predict weather with some degree of accuracy, it wasn’t possible until the telegraph’s mid-19th-century arrival. The ability to recognize and share timely information led to a better understanding of weather patterns, first on a continent-wide and eventually on a global scale. This, along with a few happy accidents and some really tough math, led to the development and refinement of the systems which people know and complain about today. Excursions to forecasting labs and weather stations around the world, along with interviews with behind-the-scenes scientists, fill in the blanks, while asides on the political ramifications of weather satellites and global forecasting and on Thomas Jefferson’s early forays into forecasting add depth and intrigue. Thanks to Blum’s immersive research, readers will come away with a greater appreciation for the hard work that goes into something often taken for granted. (June)