Storm Laboratory or Forecasting Handbook and Stormchasers Handbook?

[Sam Kennedy]

I've just got my birthday money today, which is £35($65).

I can either get Storm Laboratory, or the two books by Tim Vasquez: Storm Chasing Handbook and Weather Forecasting Handbook. Which do you think would be the best choice?

--Samsta

 

[Shane Adams]

I've just got my birthday money today, which is £35($65).

I can either get Storm Laboratory, or the two books by Tim Vasquez: Storm Chasing Handbook and Weather Forecasting Handbook. Which do you think would be the best choice?

--Samsta

I can highly recommend the Storm Chaser's handbook. I also owned the Weather Forecasting handbook, but lent it out before I got a chance to really read it and have never seen it since (it disappeared in the same direction as my video camera in 2003). Regardless, I know others who've read it and value it very much.

 

[Robert Dewey]

Not sure what Storm Laboratory is, but I'd go with Tim's books.

 

[Sam Kennedy]

Here is what storm laboratory is:

http://www.weathergraphics.com/lab/

I've also decided to get the "Storm Structure 101" DVD from Extreme Instability.

 

[rdale]

Don't do the lab - that assumes you know how to forecast.

 

[Tim Vasquez]

FWIW there's Storm Laboratory which is the moniker for Angel Dimitrov in Bulgaria: http://www.weathersoft.net/download/index.html He's a pretty stand up guy, and I've wanted to run his software but have had a severe lack of time (partly since it runs in a Linux shell and I'm not as well versed in Linux). I don't think he uses the Storm Laboratory name anymore but I may be wrong. I think you may be talking about Forecast Laboratory.

I would suggest going with the books... the Forecast Laboratory software is kind of dry if you're just starting out. After reading the books you can move into the software. I wouldn't recommend doing it the other way around.

Tim

 

[Derek Mohr]

Every experienced chaser I ask says to go with the Chasing and/or Forecasting handbooks by Tim, I would go with that...personally can't wait for my copies to come in either

 

[Sam Kennedy]

I am going to buy the DVD on storm structure, so I will only have enough money to buy either the storm chasing OR the forecasting one. I have looked at the storm chasing one, and it doesn't seem as educational as the forecasting one, so I think I will get that one. And I wont be chasing for a long time, so I wont need the Storm Chasing one just yet.

 

[Derek Mohr]

Yeah I guess that's true...you made me so excited I just ordered my book like 15 minutes ago lol!

 

[Adam Childers]

I would agree that you should probably go with the forecasting book before the storm chasing book. I am actually planning on starting with Vasquez's weather map book after I get paid next week. All of the forecasting software I have come across seems like it is geared toward people who have previous forecasting experience and knowledge.

 

[Aaron Wesson]

Tim's books are great and as a Novice it will help you better understand the atmosphere and the dynamics thereof.

Go with the books

 

[Bob Hartig]

I have looked at the storm chasing one, and it doesn't seem as educational as the forecasting one, so I think I will get that one.

Everyone is different, including each person's needs and ability to grasp meteorological concepts, so take the following as just my general opinion: starting from the more accessible and progressing toward the more complex is a good way to go. If you're technically oriented and want to focus on forecasting rather than overall chasing, then the forecasting book could be a good first choice. But others may find that the Storm Chasing Handbook is the better first purchase. Don't mistake "the basics" as something for grade schoolers. There's lots of information in this book, plenty to chew on for starters. You're not going to just read it and then put it down.

I started with the Forecasting Handbook, and to be honest, I found parts of it difficult to grasp. I now own all of Tim's books. They're all valuable, and I continue to chew on them, but as a general opinion, I'd recommend the Storm Chasing Handbook as the most immediately helpful for beginning chasers, and one you'll reread even as you expand your weather library.

 

[Steve Miller]

My vote is for Tim's books.
Tim - you had started working on updating one of your books not long ago. Is this still in progress? If so, will it be available by Christmas?

 

[Tim Vasquez]

Tim - you had started working on updating one of your books not long ago. Is this still in progress?

Absolutely. This was snarled back in February when we began planning our move to Norman, and my time is not quite yet recovered. However some large chunks of the work are done. I am crossing my fingers for completing the second edition by Christmas, but you never know how things work out and I usually try not to rush my projects.

Tim

 

[Sam Kennedy]

Purchased!

I have purchased the Forecasting Handbook and the Storm Structure 101 DVD. Now I am just going to wait next to the letter box for the next few days