Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America by Jim Murphy.
An account of the massive snow storm that shut down America’s east coast in March 1888, killing hundreds. Transportation, food, and coal supplies suddenly ceased. The disaster led to many improvements, including the establishment of the United States Weather Bureau. RC 52323.

The Blizzard Of '88 by Mary Cable.
Social history blends with human drama in this vivid chronicle of the ferocious storm that crippled cities and sunk ships as it buffeted the eastern seaboard on March 12, 1888. The winds, ice, snow, and bitter cold exacted a physical as well as psychological toll, particularly on New York City, where city dwellers, dependent on recently installed technological marvels, suddenly found themselves in the midst of anarchy. RC 27714.

The Coldest March: Scott’s Fatal Antarctic Expedition by Susan Solomon.
Scientist uses her meteorological expertise and personal knowledge of Antarctica to reevaluate Scott’s preparations for the 1912 polar journey that ended in his death. Interlaces the expedition’s accounts with contemporary scientific information, reestablishing Scott’s reputation as a competent, courageous hero foiled by unpredictable and exceptionally cold weather. RC 56195.

The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander.
Chronicles the survival of Ernest Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men marooned on ice floes off the coast of Antarctica in 1915. Recounts the entrapment and later destruction of their ship, the Endurance, by pack ice and the hardships the men suffered before their rescue in 1916. RC 47531.

Fatal Storm: The Inside Story of the Tragic Sydney-Hobart Race by Robert Mundle.
Harrowing account of the 1998 Australian yacht race that encountered hurricane-force winds. Details the havoc wreaked on the fleet of 115 entries, only forty-four of which finished in Hobart, while five sank. Describes the heroic search-and-rescue effort that resulted in winching fifty-five sailors to safety. RC 52376.

Godforsaken Sea: Racing the World’s Most Dangerous Waters by Derek Lundy.
Depicts the grueling and perilous 27,000-mile Vendée Globe solo sailing race, which circumnavigates Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. Narrates the 1996 contest through the eyes of the sixteen competitors as they endure fifty-foot waves and hurricane-force winds in the world’s most hostile seas. RC 50690.

The Great Hurricane: 1938 by Cherie Burns.
Account of the hurricane that ravaged coastal regions of Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts in September 1938, killing hundreds and causing millions of dollars in damage. Draws on archival sources and survivor testimony to trace the storm’s path and reconstruct the harrowing experiences of its victims. RC 60947.

Hurricane Watch: Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth by Bob Sheets.
A meteorologist and a science journalist present the history of devastating storms in the United States, giving a scientific explanation of such weather. Includes information on the pioneers of hurricane study and the authors’ firsthand experiences during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. RC 54368.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.
A journalist's first-hand report on the ill-fated Mt. Everest expedition of May 1996 in which a freak storm claimed the lives of nine adventurers. Describes the grueling ascent of the climbers, their sense of elation at reaching the peak, and the tragic events that followed. Strong language. RC 44525.

Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson.
Galveston, Texas; September 8, 1900. A massive hurricane approaches the city. Isaac Cline, head of the Weather Bureau's Galveston station, fails to receive advance warning due to bureaucratic blundering and scientific snobbery. No evacuation is ordered and more than 8,000 citizens are subsequently lost, including Cline's wife. RC 48811.

The Johnstown Flood by David G. McCullough.
A vivid description of the causes and effects of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, flood of 1889 that killed thousands. Based on first-person accounts of the tragedy that occurred when a man-made dam broke, flooding the entire valley with twenty million tons of water and debris. BR 13224, RC 50905. Also available as a descriptive video, DV 58.

Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester.
Author of The Professor and the Madman (RC 46906) chronicles "the most devastating volcanic event in modern recorded human history," a cataclysmic eruption near Java in the Indian Ocean that killed 36,000 people. Explains some of the disaster’s political, religious, economic, psychological, and scientific consequences. RC 55879.

Our Man in Belize by Richard Timothy Conroy.
Memoir of an American who served as vice-consul in Belize for two years in the early 1960s. He admits that his accounts of his experiences and the people he met there have "taken on a life of their own." But he does clearly remember the devastating hurricane of 1961. Some strong language. RC 47512.

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men against the Sea by Sebastian Junger.
Recounts the 1991 loss at sea of the New England fishing boat Andrea Gail in the "perfect storm" that resulted from the explosive convergence of several high-energy weather fronts. Depicts a fisherman's harsh life and gives a likely account of the vessel's final hour before sinking. Vividly portrays failed rescue efforts and people drowning. RC 44751.

The Raging Sea: The Powerful Account of the Worst Tsunami in U. S. History by Dennis M. Powers.
Professor describes the tragedy of Good Friday, March 27, 1964, when four waves spawned by an Alaskan earthquake hit Crescent City, California, and devastated the town. Interviews survivors and reveals tales of heroism and grief as eleven people lost their lives and the area was ravaged. RC 60836.

Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry.
An account of the catastrophic flood of 1927, in which at least one thousand Americans were killed and another million displaced by the swollen Mississippi River. Traces early engineering efforts at river control, which set the stage for the disaster. Explores the flood's far-reaching social, political, and economic implications. RC 46388.

The Scariest Place On Earth: Eye to Eye with Hurricanes by David E. Fisher.
A first-hand account of Hurricane Andrew, "the worst disaster ever to hit the United States," which struck south Florida in 1992. Explains hurricanes: what they are, how they develop, and what can be done to protect against them. RC 44251.

Second Ascent: The Story of Hugh Herr by Alison Osius.
By seventeen, Hugh Herr’s main focus in life was mountain climbing, a sport in which he was already breaking records. Then tragedy struck: while climbing, Hugh and a friend became disoriented and were lost in the snow for days. Hugh’s frostbitten lower legs were amputated, and he battled depression by training himself to climb again and by designing artificial limb parts. RC 35984.

South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage by Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton.
Shackleton's 1914-1917 account of how his plans to lead the first trans-Antarctic expedition became a survival saga after his ship, Endurance, was blocked and finally crushed by pack-ice. Describes the courage of men facing extremely harsh conditions. Covers Shackleton's valiant 800-mile trip in an open boat to bring back rescuers. RC 48292.

The Tornado by John Edward Weems.
Eyewitness accounts of a devastating tornado that hit Waco, Texas in 1953. Reporter Weems also weaves a tale about the causes and bizarre behavior of tornadoes, a brief history of their most notorious appearances, and a survey of recent developments in tornado detection systems. RC 16205.

When the Mississippi Ran Backwards: Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes by Jay Feldman.
Chronicles a series of catastrophic earthquakes in the Mississippi River Valley from 1811 to 1812 that devastated the New Madrid frontier settlement and temporarily reversed the Mississippi’s flow. Links the seismologic activity to the Indian Wars, a slave murder committed by Thomas Jefferson’s nephews, and the War of 1812. RC 60365.

The White Death: Tragedy and Heroism in an Avalanche Zone by McKay Jenkins.
Relates how five young mountaineers died in an avalanche while attempting a winter ascent on Mount Cleveland in Glacier National Park in 1969. Their story is interspersed with facts about the history and causes of avalanches. RC 51455.