Royal Meteorological Society

The Royal Meteorological Society is a learned body in Reading that promotes the study of weather and climate. It began in 1850 as the British Meteorological Society in the library of Dr John Lee’s house near Aylesbury. The society received its royal charter in 1866 and added ‘Royal’ to its title in 1883. Among its first fifteen members was Luke Howard, the meteorologist who named clouds. Today it has more than three thousand members worldwide and is led by chief executive Liz Bentley. The society is worth visiting for its long record of scientific publishing. It produces the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society and the monthly magazine Weather. These journals reach specialists and general readers alike. The society also awards the Symons Gold Medal and the Mason Gold Medal for outstanding contributions. Meetings and special interest groups let members exchange the latest findings. Inside the society’s rooms visitors find a quiet centre for meteorological discussion. The library holds classic papers that can be read freely online. Local centres and specialist groups meet regularly to share new research. The society’s awards and publications keep the science of weather alive across generations.