Big Weather: Chasing Tornadoes in the Heart of America.

MARK SVENVOLD

In Big Weather, Svenvold reveals what happened when he joined the world of storm chasers. This book follows the author and his band of meteorology-obsessed confederates across the Midwest during the height of tornado season. Their all-consuming mission was to witness, record, and conquer the next big tornado. Svenvold tells the stories of the typical chasers he met and worked with, including an IMAX filmmaker, tornado field researchers, and meteorology students who drive toward "scary-looking clouds" that they see. Witnessing a tornado requires both being skilled at weather forecasting--using tools such as mobile Doppler radar, Global Positioning Systems, and continuous updates from the National Weather Service--and being in the right place at the right time. In this engaging narrative, Svenvold also explains how tornadoes form and defines some of the weather lingo used by chasers. He details the history of storm chasing, from Ben Franklin and his weather experiments to the advent of the Weather Channel, and focuses on the often-conflicting ways in which people respond to catastrophic weather. Henry Holt and Co., 2005, 304 p., hardcover, b&w photos and illus., $26.00.