Overview

We spend a great deal of time living under the cover of clouds, but rarely do we look up and pay attention to them, and most of us know very little about what they are and the vital role they play in the Earth's climate and ecosystem. This is not true of Vincenzo Levizzani. As one of the world's leading experts on the physics of clouds, he has devoted his life to studying them, analysing their characteristics, and passing this knowledge on to others. In The Book of Clouds, Levizzani provides a marvellous introduction to the history and science of clouds – from the many ways that they have influenced art and culture to the ways that they have been studied, classified, and understood, from understanding how clouds form and distribute precipitation to understanding how they are affected by climate change. The result is a book that provides readers with everything they need to know to recognize different clouds, interpret their behaviour, and understand what is likely to happen if we are foolish enough to disrupt the delicate balance between the Earth and the skies that has blessed us with a habitable climate for millennia. Exquisitely illustrated, The Book of Clouds offers a deep dive into clouds, droplets, crystals, graupels, and hailstones, among other things. It will be the indispensable guide for anyone who has gazed aloft and wondered what to make of the different clouds and cloud formations that fill our skies.

Full Product Details

Author:   Vincenzo Levizzani ,  Stephen N. Lyle
Publisher:   Polity Press
Imprint:   Polity Press
ISBN:  

9781509572380

ISBN 10:   1509572384
Pages:   218
Publication Date:   24 April 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

Introduction: People and clouds 1. Clouds 2. No cloud is like any other 3. How a cloud forms Clouds and weather fronts Clouds, lakes, seas, and mountains Amarcord and fond memories of fog The majestic thunderstorm Large and very large thunderstorms Have you ever been inside a tropical cyclone? ‘Hurricanes’ in the Mediterranean Some more ‘ordinary’ cyclones Clouds almost nobody has ever heard of 4.  Journey among the hydrometeors Hydrometeors Aerosols and condensation Droplets The temperature falls, but by how much? Ice crystals, nature’s masterpiece The many faces of atmospheric ice Hail, at last! 5. When it’s raining, let it rain Warm clouds: has someone left the heater on? Cold clouds, brrr! There isn’t just rain up there Ice, treacherous ice, fraught with danger How hailstones grow One cloud rains, the other doesn’t Lightning There’s something strange up there 6. Inside the clouds 7.  Meteorology and clouds 8. Changing climate, changing clouds? Epilogue Measuring the sky Acknowledgements A Cloudspotter’s Glossary Acronyms List of Illustrations

Reviews

""In this theoretical and practical guide for reading the sky, Vincenzo Levizzani summarizes in a text dense with information but easy to read all the notions that are useful for observing the sky with a scientific eye, without forgetting, however, the poetic charm that the sky has exerted on humankind since the dawn of history."" Oggi Scienza ""Technically rigorous and enjoyable to read, The Book of Clouds suggests a novel task for the holidays: look up from your smartphone and gaze at the sky!"" Il Fatto Quotidiano

Author Information

Vincenzo Levizzani was Director of Research at the National Research Council of Italy and Professor of Cloud Physics at the University of Bologna until his retirement in July 2024.

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