The weather is a complex subject and trying to explain it all within the pages of a relatively short book can be a challenging prospect. I should like to thank the team at Michael O’Mara for making my job easier, and for all the support they have given me during the writing process. In particular, I should like to thank: Carol Kirkwood for her excellent foreword; Helen Young for lending her expert eye; Toby Buchan for his unfailing courtesy and efficiency and for being one of that sadly now-rare breed, an old-fashioned gentleman publisher; Hannah Knowles for her professionalism and her calm and efficient editing; and Ed Pickford for designing the book and bringing the words to life on the page.