The Cloudspotter's Guide

The Cloudspotter’s Guide: The Science, History, and Culture of Clouds

By Gavin Pretor-Pinney

This guide, written by the founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society, lures the reader with anecdotes, art, poetry, and interesting cloud lore while subtly imparting the science behind the clouds. Mr. Pretor-Pinney introduces the amateur cloud spotter to the Linnaean system (Genus, species, and variety) of cloud classification introduced by Luke Howard. Borrowing the system used for the classification of plants and animals is no accident as a cloud has a life cycle of its own from birth to death. The Cloudspotter’s Guide explains the forces behind cloud formation including the reason some cumulonimbus clouds develop the characteristic anvil top

Each cloud species is examined in turn with the basis for the classification and variations carefully explained. The reader will get to meet people that have experience with clouds, to include Lt. Col Rankin who after ejecting from his fighter plane at 43,000 feet above huge a storm got to witness the inner workings of a cumulonimbus from the inside, and lived to tell the tale.

After reading this enjoyable book one will never look at clouds the same way again and will not see clouds on their horizon as a foreboding omen. In fact it will add to the growing number of cloud watchers worldwide.