Storms in nature

Abstract

Storms occurring in the natural environment are distinguished by their rarity, unpredictability and severity, and are notable for their diversity and complexity. Their study is characterized by the acquistion and analysis of empirical data, consideration of the pertinent natural processes, identification of the key contributory factors, and the development of models to understand, predict, and mitigate a storm's influence. The transferability of this natural science approach to the examination of storms in the economic, political and social arenas, although subject to caveats, does offer an interesting comparative conceptual framework.