RESEARCH TIPS
Weather & climate
Get acclimatised to researching meteorology with advice from research expert Tarja Moles
Tarja Moles
Weather and climate have a huge impact on our lives and it’s no wonder they’re frequently discussed in our everyday interactions. The topic has numerous interesting facets and angles. If you’re writing non-fiction, you could explore a variety of issues linked to climate change or focus on more specific areas, such as aurora borealis, cloud watching or storm chasing. You could also combine it with other subjects, like travel writing or gardening. If you’re a fiction writer, you may need to do some research into how climate and weather affect your characters’ lives. For example, Joanna Cannon set her novel The Trouble with Goats and Sheep during the 1976 drought and wove the heatwave experiences into her story in a vivid way.
Weather facts
To find quick facts about the weather, there are a number of sources you could use. If you’re after a current weather forecast, you could check those offered by the BBC Weather (www.bbc.co.uk/weather), the Met Office (www.metoffice.gov.uk), Windy (www. windy.com) and/or Yr (www.yr.no/en). Some forecast providers, such as Windy, also allow you to see what the weather is like through webcams located in or near your chosen area.