The Surface Climates of Canada

William A. Gough is an associate professor of geography at the
University of Toronto.

 Providing a comprehensive overview of its subject matter, The Surface
Climates of Canada is unique in its scope and should quickly become a
classic reference for climatologists.

The book is divided into three sections. The first, consisting of four
chapters, covers climatological concepts as necessary building blocks
for the subsequent survey. In the second section of seven chapters, the
full range of surface climates is reviewed. Terminology has been
standardized and the varied topics share such common elements as
standard climatologic budgets of energy, radiation, and hydrology. The
organization of chapters reflects geographical location (e.g., the
Arctic Islands), climatological regime (e.g., Wetlands), and a
combination of the two (e.g., Oceans and the Coastal Zone). The final
section focuses on anthropogenic influences on surface climates. The
section’s three chapters explore climate change (mainly global
warming), agricultural land use, and urbanization. Included in each
chapter is a reasonably up-to-date list of scientific references.

Although the book is commendable in its breadth, there are some
oversights. For example, climate change is almost always discussed in
terms of global warming; the impact of deforestation is not addressed.
As well, a more detailed description of CLASS, a land-surface scheme
used in general circulation models and other regional modeling, would
have been welcome.

Quibbles aside, this book will serve as an excellent resource for both
climatologists and students enrolled in environmental studies programs.