Cloud Dynamics

Rating:
Summary: thorough discussion of clouds and cloud processes
Review: Divided into two sections ("Fundamentals" and "Phenomena") Houze's book examines the general structure, physics, and evolution of a wide range of cloud types/forms. It's often difficult to blend these viewpoints together, but Houze does so with a healthy mix of equations (some difficult!), popular figures from the literature, and explanations.

The "Fundamentals" section (first 4 chapters) is a great reference item for anyone interested in meteorology: a pictorial cloud atlas, reviews of the equations of motion, of general microphysics (how particles in clouds form, grow, and decay), and a discussion of weather radar. "Phenomena" range from fog to "fair-weather" cumulus clouds to hurricanes and even mid-latitude cyclones.

Houze applies the "fundamentals" to all of the "phenomena" he covers...once you master the fundamentals--senior undergraduates and beginning graduate students should be able to follow the math--discussion of the cloud processes becomes easier to read.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book on time-dependent behavior of clouds.
Review: Good physical and mathematical description of the temporal behavior of all forms and types of clouds. Written at graduate level. Covers all aspects of cloud dynamics including fundamentals of atmospheric dynamics. Details of particular cloud classes from met viewpoint including measurements. Emphasis on measurements to support modeling.