Reading : “Clouds and other meteors” Météo-France

In an article updated in August 2020 (¹), I described nautical works in digital format that can be usefully saved on iPad in the Apple Books application. Among them, I mentioned the Météo-France books available in PDF format for free download from their documentary portal.

In the "Courses and Manuals" section of this site, a new book can be downloaded, Published in 2020, entitled " Meteorological Observations and Measurements – Volume 1 / Clouds and other meteors ”, A wealth of information about clouds, and all associated weather phenomena, which are called "meteors" (²).

The first part, Who Matters 150 pages, is devoted to clouds. Definition, classification, description and observation of several dozen, or even hundreds of clouds if you count the varieties, illustrated by as many photographs, some of which could be artists' paintings.

We are told that, to identify clouds, the gender must be determined, The species, Varieties, The special features, Side clouds, the origin cloud and possibly the meteors associated with it. We learn the official coding of clouds, Descriptive names and symbols, and many other subtleties.

Cumulonimbus calvus pileus velum

The second part is devoted to the different categories of Hydrometeors.

We first discover the mechanisms of precipitation formation : rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, hail... It then describes the hydrometeors consisting of a suspension of particles : fog – there are more than six different types of fog fog – and mist. Those consisting of a set of particles raised by the wind such as sea spray for example, and even those consisting of a deposition of particles : dew, hoarfrost, frost, ice.

Then come the Electrometeors : thunder, lightning, lightning, St. Elmo's Fire, are explained and described in simple and accessible scientific language, always illustrated by superb photographs.

Lightning in line

The last parts are successively devoted to the lithometeors which are the solid particles suspended in the air or lifted by the wind, to photometeors which are optical phenomena such as halo, parhelion, bow, corona, etc,. It describes the "Glory", The Rainbow, The Polar Lights, and other more or less common luminous phenomena such as mirages, The green ray, and many more.

Corona

This work of nearly 300 pages, intended primarily for students of the National School of Meteorology of Météo-France (ENM), is an exciting and entertaining volume, as useful for deepening weather knowledge as it is fun, like star and planet recognition apps. Must download to your iPad in the Books app.

"What do you like?", extraordinary stranger ?
– I like clouds… The passing clouds… Over there.. Over there… The Wonderful Clouds ! (³)

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(¹) Nautical documents on electronic media [Update]
(²) Meteor : in geophysics, a phenomenon perceptible in the atmosphere or on the surface of the globe that may consist of an aqueous manifestation, Gas, Electrical or optical.
(³) Charles Baudelaire – The Stranger
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Other titles in the Reading section
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