Japanese style gardens by Dr. Stephen Dowbiggin, June's meeting

Whether Forecast by Alan Clark, May's meeting

Alan Clark gave us an interesting talk on the power and importance of weather 
for our planet and how little we understand it and how little we can control it. He began by 
showing us our world from the space station and explaining that a blue zone surrounds the world and protects it from the vacuum of space and in it, everything happens to create our 
weather.
The planet is also affected by the influence of the sun and moon, which affect our gravity.
Alan used examples of the power of the water and wind to create the Jet Stream and the Gulf Stream and the exchange between air and water to create the clouds and rain. In the 
UK we have the Gulf Stream to warm our west coast and allow our weather to be kinder.
There can be as much latent energy in a cumulus cloud (cones in the sky) as in 10 – 100 
nuclear bombs. Two nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We are still learning about the electric power that is generated by volcanos and clouds.
It is only recently, from about the 17th century, that people have tried to collect information 
on the weather in a scientific manner so that accurate predictions could be made. We can 
now make weather models of the information we have collected, however, it is still not 
accurate enough to give us a definitive answers e.g. on climate change. People can use the evidence collected to support many arguments.
Our planet’s weather is a powerful and fascinating thing that we cannot control and which 
can always surprise us. It is wise to take any ancient sayings and scientific opinions with a 
pinch of salt.