For a weather buff like me, this was a fascinating book! Got a little technical at times, but weather/nature is such a complex force that I don't know if you can tell this tale of early weather reporting/forecasting without getting into some of the technicalities. And admittedly the beginning and the end dragged a bit, but the narration of the storm as it hit Galveston - wow!
While I am often critical of today's weather forecasting (with all the technology they still get it wrong!), they truly have come a long way. Though we will always endure nature's fury and with climate change this will continue to intensify, but with advances in technology we should be able to build better/stronger buildings and warn people far enough in advance that we can minimize the cost of property and lives lost. Sadly, Hurricane Marie that struck Puerto Rico in 2017 is now the 2nd deadliest natural disaster to hit the US with deaths estimated to be between 4,000 and 8,000.
The biggest things standing in our way then and now are the greed and pride of men.
Quotes: "It [anemometer] was capable of measuring velocities as high as one hundred miles an hour, but conditions had never come close to testing this capacity, nor did any rational soul believe they ever would."
"...forecasting, a black and dangerous art that only a few men...were allowed to practice."
"Once again, they tailored fact to suit their expectations."
#2018AtoZChallenge
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