Storm Books

Over the years I've read a few books that dealt with storms...books where a storm becomes as much of a factor as the characters themselves. Below is a short list of non-fiction "storm books" that are notable, and it's a list I hope to expand on in the future.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Although technically not a book about a storm, it is a detailed account of a fateful expedition up Mount Everest that begins to unravel once the mountain climbers begin their descent. Without giving too much away, it is at that point in the narrative that the weather suddenly changes everything.





The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

An account of an incredible storm that formed off the Eastern seaboard in the fall of 1991, and how the ship, the Andrea Gail fared in it. The book attempts to reconstruct the events of that storm, the rescuers efforts, and life for those who were left behind. Interestingly enough, at the same time a giant blizzard was ongoing in the Upper Midwest.




Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson

This is the story of a hurricane that devastated and engulfed Galveston, Texas in September of 1900. It is as much a detailed chronicle of the event as it is a character study of Isaac Cline, a scientist who worked at the time with the U.S. Weather Bureau. Vivid descriptions and memorable characters.





If these books are not enough, there's always storm chasing websites such as these with footage/chase accounts:

http://www.tornadovideos.net
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/storm-chasers
http://www.stormchaser.com

Also, here is an interesting link I found a while back. It's severe weather coverage (via radio) of some notable storms in the past. Especially interesting is the coverage of the tornado outbreak from May 6th, 1965. There were four F4 tornadoes that night, 13 fatalities, and 683 injuries. Most notable in the 1965 broadcasts is how the on-air personalities' perspectives change as the night goes on and damage reports start rolling in.

Can you think of any books to add to this list? If so, please leave your ideas in the comment section below. In about a week or so, I'll review the non-fiction book "Warnings" by Michael Smith. Part autobiography and part historical narrative, it details the development of the warning system currently in use for the nation's weather.

P.S. I've decided to get onto more of a schedule with this blog. Going forward, the plan is to feature Apologetics on Mondays, Weather/Outdoors on Wednesdays, and Technology on Fridays. Along with that, there will be some random posts on writing, music, and other things.