Jet Stream

"[An] approachable exploration of the jet stream ... The reader is rewarded with plenty of juicy little facts ... a good and surprisingly enjoyable trip around a weather phenomenon." - Brian Clegg, Popular ScienceA number of extreme weather events have struck the Northern Hemisphere in recent years, from scorching heatwaves to desperately cold winters, and from floods and storms to droughts and wildfires. These events have fuelled intense discussions in scientific conferences, government agencies, cafes, and on street corners around the world. Why are these events happening? Is this the emerging signal of climate change, and should we expect more of this? Media reports vary widely, but one mysteriousagent has risen to prominence in many cases: the jet stream.The story begins on a windswept beach in Barbados, from where we follow the ascent of a weather balloon that will travel along the jet stream all around the world. From this viewpoint we observe the effect of the jet in influencing