The weather of the Great Plains is extreme and highly variable,
from floods to droughts, blizzards to tornadoes. In Great Plains
Weather Kenneth F. Dewey explains what makes this region's
climate unique by presenting a historical climatology of extreme
weather events. Beginning with tornadoes—perhaps the most
formidable plains weather phenomena—he describes the climatology of
these storms and discusses memorable tornadoes of the plains. As
one of the storm chasers who travels the Great Plains in the spring
and summer tracking severe weather, Dewey also shares some of his
experiences on the road. Dewey then goes on to discuss famous
blizzards, from the "School Children's Storm" of 1888 to more
recent storms, along with droughts and floods. Precipitation,
or the lack thereof, has long determined human activity in the
region; exacerbated by the vagaries of climate change, it continues
to have a significant economic and cultural impact on the people of
the plains. Dewey's absorbing narrative is complemented by images
of tornadoes, snowstorms, and flash floods that he amassed in forty
years of climatological research.