Man vs. Weather

Book excerpt: A humorous and practical guide to the history and science of understanding the weather including how to build your own barometer! For as long as man has walked upon this earth, he has been forced to survive under the cruel tyranny of weather. Let's face it: there is no escape. Now, in Man vs. Weather, humorist Dennis DiClaudio offers up the knowledge to beat weather at its own game. Rooting through conventional wisdom, discovered gadgetry, and the advances of science, this book presents the geothermal mechanisms behind weather-related phenomena, the history of humanity's relationship with the climate, as well as the truth surrounding atmospheric aphorisms. Have no fear: By the time you make your way through this book, you will be able to read, understand, and defend yourself against the elements! Is Red sky at night, sailor's delight a helpful saying or just the ramblings of idiotic drunkards who like to rhyme? What are these Santa Ana winds that blow out warmly from the desert, and who is this seductress for which they are named? What is this Gulf Stream that flows out from Mexico before crossing the Atlantic toward Africa and Europe, and how can a stream cut through the ocean anyway?