Author(s): Gerard Hutching; MetService

Travel

The drama of New Zealand's changeable weather. Are the events we are seeing a sign of permanent change? 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 science 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 the dramatic to the humorous. A dairy farmer and his quad bike are lifted 5 metres into the air by a cyclone then dropped 100 metres away. An embattled farmer forced to buy feed to keep his herd going through prolonged drought creates 'art' with his arrangement of the grain on a hillside. The science behind each type of weather is then 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? An introduction by well-known climatologist Professor James Fenwick begins the discussion. 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.