Meteorology

Cool Women Who Weather Storms

Does the weather fascinate you? Thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, and snowstorms are just some of the weather events that affect people’s everyday lives. Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, people have been fascinated with weather phenomena and how they relate to human activities, such as sailing and farming.

Meteorology is the science of the atmosphere, particularly the processes and phenomena that are used in forecasting the weather, and how weather relates to the oceans and climate. Long-term climate patterns, such as El Niño, don’t just affect weather. They disrupt global atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and the economies of many countries. Every day, thousands of meteorologists observe and record measurements at more than 10,000 weather stations on land and sea throughout the world. Data also comes from satellites, weather balloons, and radar. This data is transmitted to weather centers of the world, where computer models produce the information used in weather prediction.

Meteorology: Cool Women Who Weather Storms introduces readers ages 9 to 12 to three women in meteorology who are making an impact and inspiring future generations of meteorologists. Kelly Cass is a broadcast meteorologist at the Weather Channel with a particular interest in severe weather. Bianca Hernandez works as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in their Phoenix office. Pam Heinselman is a professor and Research Scientist with the National Severe Storms Lab.

This nonfiction STEM title serves as a bridge between girls’ interests and their potential careers in meteorology by telling captivating stories about real-life meteorologists and the many ways meteorology benefits society. Meteorology isn’t just about storm tracking, it’s about how the atmosphere affects the earth in the past, present, and future. Advances in meteorology are strongly connected with developments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Readers will be encouraged to investigate how atmospheric forces affect our lives and how using scientific and mathematical principles allow meteorologists to predict the weather and save lives.

Nomad Press books in the Girls in Science series provide a comprehensive foundation about both a field of STEM study and women who have contributed to it in meaningful ways. Essential questions embedded within every chapter, QR codes linked to online primary sources, and language that’s designed to encourage readers to connect prior knowledge to new information make these books an integrative reading experience that encourages further, student-led research. Nomad’s unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while encouraging them to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers.

According to the National Foundation of Science, 66 percent of girls and 68 percent of boys in fourth grade say they like STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), but by eighth grade twice as many boys as girls are interested in STEM careers. Why do so many girls turn away from science? One reason is persistent stereotypes and another is a lack of role models. Nomad Press books in the Girls in Science series supply a bridge between girls’ interests and their potential futures by investigating science careers and introducing women who have succeeded in science.

Titles in the series include: Technology: Cool Women Who Code; Astronomy: Cool Women in Space; Engineering: Cool Women Who Design; Forensics: Cool Women Who Investigate; Aviation: Cool Women Who Fly; Marine Biology: Cool Women Who Dive; Archaeology: Cool Women Who Dig; Zoology: Cool Women Who Work with Animals; Architecture: Cool Women Who Design Structures; and Meteorology: Cool Women Who Weather Storms.