Is it going to snow tomorrow?

Living in the Midwest, we all experience the ever changing weather and lament the sometimes frustrating inaccuracy of  forecasting that we experience, especially when trying to plan an event around upcoming weather. The Information Desk gets several questions per week about current and future weather.  We use sources like the National Weather Service as well as local media sites.

There are also many items in our collection that can help you to become a more informed observer of what is happening and  have a better understanding of meteorology as a science. These are just a few of the items you will find by searching "weather forecasting" in our catalog.  There are materials for readers of all levels on everything from weather folklore to experiments you can play with at home.  Check it out!! Here are a few examples:

In Thunder & Lightning: Weather Past, Present, Future, Lauren Redniss tells the story of weather and humankind through the ages.  The author explores the headquarters of the National Weather Service and looks at the global and economic impact of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.  In addition to extensive research into her subject matter, the author also designed and produced the text, artwork and cover.

  For the DIY weather people, Guide to Weather Forecasting  may be the book for you.  The aptly named author, Storm Dunlop includes  detailed information on causes of weather,  how to recognize clouds and interpret sky appearance, and explanations of weather systems and how they  change.  The book includes charts, photographs and diagrams amateur forecasters will find useful.  Give it a try, see if you can beat the "pros"!

And finally, something better to watch on a screen than outside your window: Deadliest Tornadoes. This documentary examines the extremely deadly 2011 season to try to better predict tornadoes in the future.