Book of Clouds

Vincenzo Levizzani was Director of Research at the National Research Council of Italy and Professor of Cloud Physics at the University of Bologna until his retirement in July 2024.

A New Scientist Best New Popular Science Books of April 2026"This book is a delight: a whirlwind tour of our eventful skies, from ground-hugging fogs to vertiginous storm clouds, in the company of a witty and well-informed guide. Levizzani succeeds in evoking the spectacle of clouds, their drama and emotion, while explaining the intricate science of their formation with admirable clarity and warmth."Richard Hamblyn, Birkbeck, University of London"Drawing upon his extensive career in the atmospheric sciences, Vincenzo Levizzani has provided the reader with a guided tour through the nature of clouds, from our earliest understanding to the current observations that are increasingly collected from ground and satellite. The reader is encouraged to look upwards and learn about the clouds that are always there for us to observe."Joseph Turk, University of California, Los Angeles, and member of NASA's Precipitation Measurement Mission Science Team"The Book of Clouds is a journey that describes the marvel and beauty of clouds we see every day and slowly brings the reader along to understand their nature, their shapes, their inner working, and, finally, their role in weather and climate. The book is truly for all those who not only marvel at the beauty of clouds, but also wonder about the intricate details that make each one unique."Christian Kummerow, Colorado State University"Wide-ranging, scientifically robust, and written with a lyrical sensibility, The Book of Clouds captures the beauty and complexity of the sky and reveals its wonders with insight and delight."Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society"Levizzani deserves commendation for his outstanding coverage of clouds – an essential and complex component of the Earth's hydrometeorological cycle and the primary carrier of precipitation within the Earth system. His book is ais a beautifully articulated exploration of clouds, beginning with their visual, artistic, and cultural significance and progressing to the current scientific understanding of cloud physics and their role in the climate system. It is both accessible and engaging, serving as an excellent educational resource and a valuable reference on the subject."Soroosh Sorooshian, University of California, Irvine"In this theoretical and practical guide for reading the sky, Vincenzo Levizzani summarizes in a text dense with information but easy to read all the notions that are useful for observing the sky with a scientific eye, without forgetting, however, the poetic charm that the sky has exerted on humankind since the dawn of history."Oggi Scienza"Technically rigorous and enjoyable to read, The Book of Clouds suggests a novel task for the holidays: look up from your smartphone and gaze at the sky!"Il Fatto Quotidiano"If you want to recognise those clouds, find out how they form and create rain (among other aspects of their behaviour) and, of course, discover how climate change is affecting them, then this is for you."New Scientist, Best New Popular Science Books of April 2026

• Introduction: People and clouds1. Clouds2. No cloud is like any other3. How a cloud formsClouds and weather frontsClouds, lakes, seas, and mountainsAmarcord and fond memories of fogThe majestic thunderstormLarge and very large thunderstormsHave you ever been inside a tropical cyclone?'Hurricanes' in the MediterraneanSome more 'ordinary' cyclonesClouds almost nobody has ever heard of4. Journey among the hydrometeorsHydrometeorsAerosols and condensationDropletsThe temperature falls, but by how much?Ice crystals, nature's masterpieceThe many faces of atmospheric iceHail, at last!5. When it's raining, let it rainWarm clouds: has someone left the heater on?Cold clouds, brrr!There isn't just rain up thereIce, treacherous ice, fraught with dangerHow hailstones growOne cloud rains, the other doesn'tLightningThere's something strange up there6. Inside the clouds7. Meteorology and clouds8. Changing climate, changing clouds?Epilogue: Measuring the skyAcknowledgementsA Cloudspotter's GlossaryAcronymsList of Illustrations