New Zealand's Wild Weather

Description

The drama of New Zealand's changeable weather. Are the events we are seeing due to our changing climate? A compelling, informative and highly illustrated series of investigations into the different types of weather events that occur in New Zealand. It covers the likes of cyclones, heat waves, snow and drought, recounting gripping eye witness accounts and explaining just what's going on behind them all. Popular natural history writer Gerard Hutching has found a range of people affected by diverse weather events over the decades and tells their stories, bringing these events to life - from a dairy farmer and his quad bike being lifted 5 metres into the air by a cyclone then dropped 100 metres away, to the fisheries inspector who survives a lightning strike. The science behind these extreme weather events is explained in simple accessible terms by the scientists from MetService. And behind it all lies the big question - are these events a result of climate change? Well-known climatologist Professor James Renwick sets the scene of our changing climate and how that interacts with the wild weather that we experience here in Aotearoa. Contents- Weather in a Changing Climate; Understanding the Weather; The Ocean and the Weather; Tropical Cyclones; Rain; Wind; Snow; Drought; Heatwaves; Storm Surge; Thunder and Lightning; Hail; Tornadoes; Fog; Frost.

MetService is New Zealand's designated National Meteorological Service by the World Meteorological Organisation and the only authorised provider of severe weather warnings for New Zealand. As a State-Owned Enterprise its core purpose is to protect the safety of New Zealanders while operating as an innovative commercial business. MetService has a long-standing and trusted reputation for its warnings, scientific expertise, valuable insight and weather data across New Zealand and the globe. Communicating the intricacies of the weather is at the heart of what MetService does both online and in person. As Head of Weather Communication for MetService Lisa Murray meteorologist and science communicator, shares her expertise in this book, alongside a number of the organisation's expert meteorologists and communications specialist Andrea Tandy. James Renwick, one of New Zealand's leading climate change commentators provides his insights and knowledge to help bring this issue to the forefront of this book. Natural history writer Gerard Hutching is author of the award-winning book The Natural World of New Zealand, and numerous other titles including Back from the Brink and In Search of Ancient New Zealand (with Hamish Campbell). For New Zealand's Wild Weather he has woven meteorology with dramatic stories of people impacted by the country's mercurial climate.