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A book for every season!
The Philadelphia Area Weather Book
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Jon Nese and Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz, foreword by Edward G. Rendell
Winner of the Louis J. Battan Author's Award from The American Meteorological Society, 2005
"When it comes to Philadelphia weather, Jon Nese and Glenn 'Hurricane' Schwartz know what's going on. Now, you can get the best of their knowledge about your weather in a clear, concise, fun book."
—Al Roker, NBC's Today Show
The Philadelphia Area Weather Book answers all of our questions about the region's weather and climate, from the Poconos and Philadelphia to southern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore to Delaware. The snowiest winter? The hottest summer? The strongest tornado? Signs of global warming? Why can't computers give reliable two-week forecasts? The answers are all here in this new paperback.
Offering a little-known history of the region's pivotal role in the development of weather science as far back as colonial times, The Philadelphia Area Weather Book gives a lively account of what forecasters actually do on a daily basis.
Features include:
"Stories from the Trenches": inside stories of forecasting the big storms; a look back with Philadelphia's television pioneers Wally Kinnan, Dr. Francis Davis, and Herb Clarke; and a glimpse at the possibilities for the future climate of our area
More than 150 illustrations (including 60 photographs, 54 maps, dozens of diagrams, and a 16-page color section): ranging from the first photographic image of lightning to local residents' photos of the Blizzard of '96 and Hurricane Floyd; from the dynamics of air masses to eroding shore lines and global warming trends
Weather tables: statistics for every day of the year, monthly averages as well as temperature and precipitation extremes for Philadelphia, Wilmington, Allentown, and Atlantic City
Lists of web resources organized by topic so that readers can follow current weather events using the same sites as the experts do.
Excerpt
Read an excerpt from Chapter 1 (pdf).
Reviews
"Jon Nese and Glenn Schwartz have put together extensive information regarding weather in the Philadelphia area. Rather than just compiling a book of statistics, they have crafted a fascinating book full of stories going far beyond the seasonal variations in the local weather. Their book is sure to be of interest to Philadelphia residents and will serve as an invaluable source of reference material for teachers, the media, emergency managers, and others with an interest in the history of meteorology."
—Dr. Greg Forbes, Severe Weather Expert, The Weather Channel
"It offers readers insight into the region's seasonal, and quite changeable, weather conditions, the history of weather observation in the area and a slew of fun facts."
—Bucks County Courier Times
"That synergy between science and entertainment is evident throughout the book. Structured with the rich details of a meteorology primer and the thumbnail sketches of an almanac, this compulsively readable volume also functions as a cultural history of the forecasters and storms embedded in our memories."
—Mayfair News
"...an outstanding job describing and explaining, in layman's terms, the wide variety of weather phenomenon that affect the city of Philadelphia and its environs."
—The Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, November 2004
"[A] great reference tool for any weather-crazed Philadelphian."
—The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
"This new paperback covers all angles of the region's weather and climate, from the Poconos to the Jersey Shore, including the history of the area's role in the development of weather science."
—Weatherwise
Contents
Foreword – Edward G. Rendell
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. History of Weather Science and Observing in the Philadelphia Area
Observations: It all Starts Here • The Modern National Weather Service
2. Basics of Weather and Weather Forecasting
From Folklore to Fundamentals •
Basic Building Blocks of Weather and Climate •
General Climate Features of the Philadelphia Area •
Weather Forecasting
3. Winter: December–January–February
Tough Forecasting on the Edge •
Winter Cold •
Winter Snow •
Historical Winters
4. Spring: March–April–May
From Winter to Spring •
Nor'easters •
Thunderstorms •
Tornadoes •
River Flooding •
Looking Ahead: glimpses of Summer in Spring
5. Summer: June–July–August
Heat and Humidity •
Summer Precipitation: Drenching Ran and Drought •
Air Pollution •
The Shore
6. Autumn: September–October–November
Autumn: Season of Stability •
Hurricanes: The Greatest Storms on Earth •
Hurricane Dangers •
Hurricane Forecasting •
Philadelphia and Coastal Vulnerability •
Historical Delaware Valley and Shore Hurricanes •
A Philadelphia-area Nightmare Hurricane Scenario •
Looking Ahead: Signs of What Is to Come
7. Philadelphia's Future Climate
Future Climate: Months and Season;
Future Climate: Years and Decades (and Longer)
Epilogue
Appendix A: Philadelphia Daily and Monthly Climate Data
Appendix B: Climate Data for Wilmington, Delaware; Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Atlantic City, New Jersey
Notes
Bibliography
Additional Web Resources
List of Illustrations
List of Tables
Index
About the Author(s)
 | Jon Nese, Ph.D. formerly Chief Meteorologist at The Franklin Institute, is Storm Analyst at the Weather Channel and co-author of A World of Weather. |
 | Glenn Schwartz is Chief Meteorologist for NBC-10 in Philadelphia and has been voted most trusted meteorologist in the Philadelphia area by readers of Philadelphia Magazine. |