In 1994, Professor Houze authored a technical textbook for graduate students and researchers studying how clouds work. He is currently working on a revised version, which will be published in 2009.

Cloud Dynamics

by Robert A. Houze, Jr.

Volume 53 in the International Geophysics Series

Published: March 1994; ISBN: 0123568811

Available from Academic Press

Review and Description from the Academic Press web site:

"The focus of this book is on the air motions associated with clouds. The complex interaction between the microphysical processes in the clouds and the dynamics is a theme throughout the text. It provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of this highly complex field....This book gives a comprehensive summary of the dynamics associated with clouds in the atmosphere....The book reads easily and is well structured. As such, I believe it will be an excellent text for a graduate course on the subject." — AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

Clouds play a critical role in the Earth's climate, general atmospheric circulation, and global water balance. Clouds are essential elements in mesoscale meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, atmospheric radiation, and weather forecasting, and thus must be understood by any student or researcher in the atmospheric sciences. Cloud Dynamics provides a skillful and comprehensive examination of the nature of clouds—what they look like and why, how scientists observe them, and the basic dynamics and physics that underlie them. The book describes the mechanics governing each type of cloud that occurs in Earth's atmosphere, and the organization of various types of clouds in larger weather systems such as fronts, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. This book is aimed specifically at graduate students, advanced undergraduates, practicing researchers either already in atmospheric science or moving in from a related scientific field, and operational meteorologists. Some prior knowledge of atmospheric dynamics and physics is helpful, but a thorough overview of the necessary prerequisites is supplied.

Key Highlights of This Text
* Provides a complete treatment of clouds integrating the analysis of air motions with cloud structure, microphysics, and precipitation mechanics
* Describes and explains the basic types of clouds and cloud systems that occur in the atmosphere-fog, stratus, stratocumulus, altocumulus, altostratus, cirrus, thunderstorms, tornadoes, waterspouts, orographically induced clouds, mesoscale convection complexes,
* hurricanes, fronts, and extratropical cyclones
* Presents a photographic guide, presented in the first chapter, linking the examination of each type of cloud with an image to enhance visual retention and understanding
* Summarizes the fundamentals, both observational and theoretical, of atmospheric dynamics, thermodynamics, cloud microphysics, and radar meteorology, allowing each type of cloud to be examined in depth
* Integrates the latest field observations, numerical model simulations, and theory
* Supplies a theoretical treatment suitable for the advanced undergraduate or graduate level

Contents
(Chapter Headings): Fundamentals: Identification of Clouds. Atmospheric Dynamics. Cloud Microphysics. Radar Meteorology. Phenomena: Shallow-Layer Clouds. Nimbostratus. Cumulus Dynamics. Thunderstorms. Mesoscale Convective Systems. Clouds in Hurricanes. Precipitating Clouds in Extratropical Cyclones. Orographic Clouds. Chapter References. Subject Index.