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The idea of forecasting the weather by calculation was first dreamt of by Lewis Fry Richardson. He set out in Weather Prediction by Numerical Process a detailed algorithm for systematic numerical weather prediction. The method of computing atmospheric changes, which he mapped out in great detail in Weather Prediction by Numerical Process, is essentially the method used today. He was greatly ahead of his time because, before his ideas could bear fruit, advances in four critical areas were needed: better understanding of the dynamics of the atmosphere; stable computational algorithms to integrate the equations; regular observations of the free atmosphere; and powerful automatic computer equipment. Over the ensuing years, progress in numerical weather prediction has been dramatic.
Weather prediction and climate modelling have now reached a high level of sophistication, and are witness to the influence of Richardson's ideas. This new edition contains a new foreword by Peter Lynch that sets the original book in context.
Foreword
1. Summary
2. Introductory example
3. The choice of cooordinate differences
4. The fundamental equations
5. Finding the vertical velocity
6. Special treatment for the stratosphere
7. The arrangement of points and instants
8. Review of operations in sequence
9. An example worked on computing forms
10. Smoothing the initial data
11. Some remaining problems
12. Units and notation
Index of persons
Index of subsidiary subjects
Peter Lynch is Met Aeireann Professor of Meteorology at University College Dublin and Director of the UCD Meteorology and Climate Centre.
"The book can be warmly recommended to people interested in the history of meteorology as well as to those who want to have a more or less complete record on numerical weather prediction techniques on their bookshelf."
- Meteorologische Zeitschrift
