The weather of the Pacific Northwest

"The Pacific Northwest experiences the most varied and fascinating weather in the United States, including world-record winter snows, the strongest nontropical storms in the nation, and shifts from desert to rain forest in a matter of miles. Local weather features dominate the meteorological landscape, from the Puget Sound convergence zone and wind surges along the Washington Coast to gap winds through the Columbia Gorge and the "Banana Belt" of southern Oregon. This comprehensive and authoritative guide to Northwest weather is written primarily for general readers, including boaters, hikers, and skiers, but it will also interest expert meteorologists." "Mass combines eyewitness accounts, historical records, and meteorological science to explain Pacific Northwest weather. He also considers possible local effects of global warming. The final chapters guide readers in interpreting the Northwest sky and in securing weather information on their own."--BOOK JACKET.