Storm chasers Zach Roberts, Savannah Williams, and Jason Weingart launched a Kickstarter at the beginning of January in an attempt to help fund their new book, which breaks down the dynamics that drive severe weather. With 3 days remaining in the 30 day campaign, the trio has managed to raise just under $40,000. 

The book, The Anatomy of Severe Weather, will contain 200 high resolutions of the worst Mother Nature has to offer, including supercells, lightning, tornadoes, and hail. It will utilize transparent overlays on each image, printed with graphics designed by Williams to help the viewer gain a better understanding of what makes up these impressive storms. According to the team, the book ‘will also include detailed explanations of how and why severe weather occurs, historical references to past milestone weather events and storm chasing stories behind the scenes to give you an idea of how these images are captured’. 

Image : Savannah Williams / Graphics : Savannah Williams 

The group hopes their work will help the public attain a better understanding of what they see when viewing the weather, either online or in person. "A lot of the text [about supercells] that's out there is not easy to understand, and it's geared toward scientists," said Roberts. "This is going to be geared towards kids and weather enthusiasts and anybody interested."

Image : Zach Roberts / Graphics : Savannah Williams

"People often misinterpret what they are seeing when looking at weather phenomenon," said Williams. "We want to help people have a much better understanding of what it is they are seeing, both online and in person".

The team hired accredited meteorologist Logan Poole to proof read the diagrams and videos to ensure accuracy on all products. 

To collect images for the book, the team plans to begin storm chasing in the spring of this year to collect just the right images and have all the components in place. The book will also contain a bonus section which researches different types of lightning entitled 'Franklinstein'. A portion of the money raised will be used for sensors to obtain close range measurements of lightning and its' associated thunder.

The group reached their goal with plenty of time remaining in the campaign, so they decided to extend their goal from $28,500 on up to $45,000. If the $40,000 mark is reached, they will include a video production 'The Anatomy of the Life of a Supercell' with every hard cover copy purchased. The educational weather film will document the entire process of the life cycle of a supercell; from the first whisp of cumulus, to a violent creation of nature. 

Trailer for the December 2015 release of The Anatomy of the Life of a Supercell. 

Image : Gary Schmitt / Graphics : Savannah Williams 

If the campaign reaches the $45,000 the three will donate copies to their local schools and libraries in an effort to help raise more interest in the weather with children. The group is considering adding additional books and video products in the future, which will detail regional weather phenomenon.  

The Anatomy of Severe Weather will be released late in 2015 and available in three versions; an ebook ($19.99), a paperback copy ($39.99) and an 11"x14" hard cover coffee table book ($99.99). "We want to make the information available to a larger audience, but the coffee table book will be a work of art beyond the information", said Roberts. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1239123996/help-publish-the-anatomy-of-severe-weather