The weather goes deep into our consciousness with songs, proverbs and old wives' tales to support our obsession. It affects everyday patterns of work and leisure, holidays and health, our industry and economy and even matters of life and death. Accompanying a BBC1 series, this book explores how the weather works and how the Meteorological Office can predict short-term and long-term weather patterns. It shows how extremes of weather, such as the 1976 drought and the 1987 hurricane, can occur, and what effects they have on people's lives. It discusses myths such as "red sky at night" and examines their accuracy, and looks at weather freaks such as frogs and huge blocks of ice falling out of the clear skies. The text is supported by illustrations and statistics.