Authors of the Storm ─ Meteorologists and the Culture of Prediction

In Authors of the Storm, Gary Alan Fine offers an inside look at how meteorologists and forecasters predict the weather. Based on field observation and interviews, Fine finds a supremely hard-working in sular clique of professionals who often refer to themselves as a "band of brothers." In Fine's skilled hands, we learn their lingo, how they "read" weather conditions, how forecasts are written, and, of course, how those messages are conveyed to the public. Weather forecasts, he shows, are often shaped as much by social and cultural factors inside local offices as they are by approaching cumulus clouds.

"In this fascinating and timely book, Fine introduces the reader to the intriguing world of weather prediction....Fine engages his reader by skillfully describing the human side of weather forcasters who must contend with having to produce timely, accurate forecasts under the stress of meeting a complexity of organizational demands. ...A highly recommended book for both scholars and everyone who has an interest in the weather."

Gary Alan Fine is professor of sociology at Northwestern University and the author of numerous books, including Everyday Genius:Self-Taught Art and the Culture of Authenticity; With the Boys: Little League Baseball and Preadolescent Culture; and Shared Fantasy: Role Playing Games as Social Worlds, all published by the University of Chicago Press.