See inside the eye of a cyclone, witness hailstones the size of tennis balls, and learn how a gentle mountain stream can become a raging surge within a few minutes. With striking images, models, and illustrations, this visual guide offers a unique view of catastrophic weather conditions. From polar regions to the tropics, Hurricane & Tornado shows the effects of nature's most extreme weather. Discover a bridge that collapsed due to severe gusts of wind, and learn about a tree species in southwest Africa that can survive several years of drought. Along the way you'll uncover historical items that reveal how ancient civilizations predicted the weather as well as the weather-forecasting techniques that have developed over the centuries and the ways in which human activity can cause weather patterns to change.