Weathermen

The Weathermen is a layperson's guide that covers 2,000 years, exploring the many strands that tell the story of weather history - recording instruments, charts, wind circulation, weather diaries, jet streams and so on. The book also documents the lives of over 100 men whose biographies provide the signposts along the way. These were essentially men of their times, be that of The Enlightenment, the Crimean War, the days of the British Empire or of two World Wars. It has been researched in depth by Gordon Tripp, who spent the majority of his career as an RAF flying navigator, specialising in meteorology. He was also the navigation instructor and tutor at the RAF staff college. Towards the end of his career, Gordon helped the Nigerian Air Force set up their own staff college. As a result of his work, Gordon was awarded an OBE in 1978 and retired as a group captain. He went on to join a developing world charity and travelled the world, examining the affects of climate change in poorer areas. Gordon has also given talks and adult education courses with a particular focus on weather and climate topics.