This book began as something to do during the weekends my wife and I went to visit my mother-in-law during her extended, terminal bout with cancer. I was the driver and after I finished my job of getting us there, I was left to my own devices. I took along a notebook computer and started to write some essays on the meteorology I was teaching. When she passed away, my father-in-law's problems started so we kept up the monthly trip.

Sometime during this time I showed some chapters to a fellow at work and he suggested a book. So, it slowly came together on weekends and evenings. Occasionally, I sought readers. Dr. Peter Lester read an early draft and gave me encouragement. A few fellow flying club members read pieces and made suggestions. After much thought, it was too dry so I redid most of it trying to make it readable and using personal examples as much as I could. As an exercise, I put it on the web, first so it would be easy to transport from place to place and not have to rely on disks. My son helped me get started. Jill Tallman of the AOPA edited the first edition.

In a weak moment, I asked the American Meteorological Society to review the first edition. It was something new, reviewing an e-book but they did. Dr. Kenneth Parsons of Embry Riddle University, the reviewer, viewed it as a potential textbook and reviewed it with that in mind; however, I've never thought of it as a textbook. Other than that, the review was good with some reservations, mostly about the wordiness. He also kindly sent me his marked up review copy and I have taken most of his suggestions in this edition. The Review is in the December 2003 issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

Most of all, I thank my patient and loving wife Muriel who made this book possible.

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