A sudden change in climate has led to rising seas, migrations from coastal cities, crop failures, collapse of the insurance sector, economic ruin, and a disastrous geoengineering attempt. In retaliation, a Blackout War was launched on the U.S. resulting in the death of hundreds of millions. Though the worst has happened, a plan is in place to move the remaining population away from a nomadic life as scavengers to become a productive agrarian society. The plan, however, requires scientists, like George Reynolds, to trek across America's devastated landscape to collect vital data that would allow them to predict the weather again.
In this book, George, a sarcastic and slightly jaded scientist, makes his third trek. This time, he brings along his grown son, Dan, who must come to terms with his anger toward his father for abandoning him to go off on past treks, and toward his grandparent's generation for screwing it all up. Joining them is Dan's girlfriend Jennifer, who is grappling with her own issues after being orphaned as a child in the ruins of the old world. Also tagging along is George's dog Opie, who still has 'puppy brain.' Their mission and survival will be threatened by hailstorms, rain bombs, flash floods, wildfires, a Category 6 hurricane and roving bands of desperate and dangerous people.