Welcome to the Weekend Dispatch. Here are our top finds for June 4.

"The Power of Lightning" by Elena Salvai. Provided photo

01. Photographer pick: Elena Salvai

Elena Salvai is the ultimate storm chaser. With so many incredible shots of active lightning that make you feel like you’re in the storm itself, you may wonder how she hasn’t been struck herself!

Her photo “The Power of Lightning” won First Runner Up and Public Favorite in the Weather Photographer of the Year 2019 and was published in over a dozen publications.

View all of her photos at elenasalvai.photo.

Double exposure of Hurricane Ida approaching New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2021. Photo by Brian McGowan | Unsplash 

02. Article pick: A Force of Nature: Hurricanes in a Changing Climate

This recent NASA article uses satellite images, research findings and global climate models to explain how hurricanes, though not as frequent, will likely cause more intense rainfall and flood risk due to higher storm surge caused by rising seas.

It also includes helpful key terms as well as advice for those who face hurricane threats. 

"It's a Tsunami!" by Nadia Higgins. Provided photo

03. Book pick: It's a Tsunami!

Written by the author of 50-plus children's books and beautifully illustrated, "It's a Tsunami!" brings the weather indoors with easy-to-read explanations of how tsunamis form, how scientists track them and the damage they can cause. With diagrams, tsunami facts and a glossary with additional information, this book is a perfect to shelf in a pre-school to third-grade classroom.

Visit google.com for purchase options.

Photo by Rajesh Rattan | Unsplash

04. Audio pick: The Science Behind That Fresh Rain Scent

Have you ever wondered why you can smell the rain? In this 12-minute episode of the NPR series Short Wave, one microbiology professor, one researcher and one chemical ecologist explain why the chemical compound geosmin gives off this scent we consider to be fresh rain.