Contemporary Climatology provides an up-to-date, stimulating and comprehensive guide to the nature of the earth's climate. It presents a synthesis of contemporary scientific ideas about atmospheric circulation, providing the basic factual information and suggesting ways in which this information can be used. This second edition reflects the fascinating technological advances in the study of the climate of the earth over the past decade and, moreover, indicates where the challenges, and excitement, within the subject lie. Throughout, the authors stress the importance of understanding climatic systems in their complexity, but the book's clear and vivid style makes the conceptual framework of contemporary climatology accessible to readers without a strong scientific background.