Despite being perhaps the foremost British meteorologist of the
twentieth century, Reginald Sutcliffe has been understudied and
underappreciated. His impact continues to this day every time you check
the weather forecast. Reginald Sutcliffe and the Invention of Modern
Weather Systems Science not only details Sutcliffe's life and ideas,
but it also illuminates the impact of social movements and the larger
forces that propelled him on his consequential trajectory.
Less than a century ago, a forecast of the weather tomorrow was
considered a practical impossibility. This book makes the case that
three important advances guided the development of modern dynamic
meteorology, which led directly to the astounding progress in weather
forecasting--and that Sutcliffe was the pioneer in all three of these
foundational developments: the application of the quasi-geostrophic
simplification to the equations governing atmospheric behavior, adoption
of pressure as the vertical coordinate in analysis, and development of a
diagnostic equation for vertical air motions.
Shining a light on Sutcliffe's life and work will, hopefully, inspire a
renewed appreciation for the human dimension in scientific progress and
the rich legacy bequeathed to societies wise enough to fully embrace
investments in education and basic research. As climate change continues
to grow more dire, modern extensions of Sutcliffe's innovations
increasingly offer some of the best tools we have for peering into the
long-term future of our environment.
