Atmospheric Sciences, Regional 

ONE MOMENT, PARISHIONERS WORSHIP ON PALM SUNDAY IN THEIR RURAL ALABAMA CHURCH. THE NEXT, A TORNADO PEALS THE ROOF OFF AND CRUSHES 20 CONGREGANTS TO DEATH UNDER COLLAPSING WALLS. ANOTHER 90 PEOPLE ARE INJURED. AT 5:45 A.M. THE CITY OF KOBE SLUMBERS IN WINTER DARKNESS. AT 5:46, JAPAN'S WORST QUAKE IN 72 YEARS RAVAGES KOBE, TOPPLING APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND TURNING SMALL WOODEN BUILDINGS TO TINDER, SNAPPING GAS MAINS, DAMAGING EXPRESSWAYS. THE HUMAL TOLL: 5,500 DEAD, 25,000 INJURED, 300,000 HOMELESS. A YEAR EARLIER-TO THE DAY-IT WAS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S TURN, AS THE NORTHRIDGE QUAKE CLAIMED 60 VICTIMS AND BILLIONS IN PROPERTY DAMAGE. MEANWHILE, RECORD COLD HAD VIRTUALLY CLOSED DOWN SEVERAL EASTERN CITIES. THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE THOUSANDS OF DISASTERS NATURE INFLICTS UPON HUMANKIND EACH YEAR, FROM HURRICANES TO HAILSTORMS, FROM ERUPTING VOCLANOES TO EL NINO'S DROUGHTS. IMAGES OF EARTH MADE FROM SPACE SHOW A BLUE ORB WREATHED IN TENDRILS OF CLOUD, A PLACID-LOOKING SANCTUARY IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM TO THE UNKNOWING EYE, PERHAPS. BUT THE GEOLOGIC FORCES THAT CREATED OUR PLANET ARE ANYTHING BUT PLACID. EARTH'S MISTY VEIL HARBORS SEVERE STORMS AND EXTREME WEATHER, AS WELL AS THE ATMOSPHERE THAT MAKES OUR PLANET HABITABLE. NATURE NEVER LETS US FORGET HER DUALITY. GRIPPING TEXT AND 182 PHOTOGRAPHS OFFER SURPRISING INSIGHTS INTO THE RAGING FORCES OF NATURE. - from Amzon