Book excerpt: Comprehensively revised and updated in its second edition, The Weather and Climate of Australia and New Zealand provides an introduction to the basic concepts underlying the science of the atmosphere from a Southern Hemisphere perspective, and establishes the global setting within which the weather and climate of Australia and New Zealand operate. Only book with a Southern Hemisphere focus that is suitable for meteorology and climatology students in Australia and New Zealand Incorporates new material published in international literature since the publication of the first edition Caters specifically for students who are just developing an interest in the subject, as well as for those undertaking research that requires a good basic understanding of atmospheric processes and their operation in this region Explains the weather systems responsible for day to day variability experienced across the area, including tropical and mid-latitude phenomena, and approaches to weather forecasting Examines climate change and variability in depth, including a summary of evidence of past climates, as well as discussion of more recent and possible future climate changes Includes an extensive glossary to assist the new reader with terminology specific to meteorology and climatology Contains useful chapter-by-chapter further reading sections