Can you suggest a good book on weather for a novice? I am looking for something that will explain the basics, what causes it to rain in some locations and not others... etc.

MIKE MOSS SAYS:     Richard,     There are lots of books that would probably serve well. Just as a sampling, here are some that you could consider - for general reading and a good introduction/overview, books like "Weather: A Golden Guide," "The USA Today Weather Book" and "National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Weather" are quite good. Some basic introductory college level texts, light on mathematics, that you might find helpful, include "Meteorology Today", "The Atmosphere: An Introduction to Meteorology", and "Essentials of Meteorology". More technical treatments are given in "Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey" and "Meteorology for Scientists & Engineers". Most of these are available online or in some cases at local bookstores, and of course you might also like to browse a library so that you can get a good feel for the content of a book and how it serves your interests before buying.