Part 9

Fig. 33 ]

APPEARANCES

Various appearances that come in the sky.

For instance, a good example is in the case of the thunder storm, which can be determined at least a few hours in advance, by the movement of the clouds and the forms they take. In every locality there is a direction that clouds take that forecasts bad weather, and there is a direction that clouds take that forecasts fair weather.

When you see a halo about the top of a mountain, you know that bad weather is expected. The same is true when a halo appears about the moon. This indicates rain, or if the lower clouds break up and the upper clouds, or a second light covering of clouds, are seen above the lower ones, it speaks for continued bad weather. In some localities if rainy weather is continuing for some time, and a certain change in wind sets in, it will indicate that good weather is coming.

These observations will be readily understood as being adapted for certain localities and are not general. It is always necessary that the observer adapt himself to these localities and study them, so that he can make prophecies accordingly. It should be borne in mind that these prophecies are only possible from one day to another.

WHAT THE CLOUDS INDICATE

When high clouds are seen crossing the sun or the moon in a different direction from the lower clouds, this indicates change of wind toward the direction of the higher clouds. When you see hard-edged clouds, look for wind. When you see delicate soft clouds, look for fine weather and probably moderate breeze or high breeze. When you see gloomy dark clouds in a blue sky, look for slight winds. When you see a bright blue sky through fine clouds that are soft and delicate, this indicates fine weather. When you see soft-looking clouds, you can expect less wind, but probably rain. But when the clouds become hard and ragged, tufted and rolling in appearance, stronger winds are coming. When you see small clouds that are inky looking, look for rain. When you see light clouds traveling across heavy hard masses of clouds, this indicates both wind and rain, but if the light scud clouds are alone, you may expect wind only. Misty clouds forming or hanging over the peaks of hills indicate both wind and rain. If during a rainy spell they ascend or disperse the weather is pretty certain to clear up. If there has been fine weather and you begin to see light streaks in the sky which are distant clouds, and they continue to increase and grow into cloudiness, this indicates rain.

SUNSET AS AN INDICATION

When the sun is setting and the sky in the west presents a color of whitish yellow or radiates out at a great height, rain can be looked for during the next night or day. Gaudy colors where clouds are definitely outlined indicate probably wind and rain.

Before setting, if the sun looks diffused and the color is a brilliant white, this forecasts storms. When the sun sets in a slightly purple sky and the color at the zenith is a bright blue, this indicates fine weather. A red sunset generally indicates good weather, whereas a ruddy or misty sunset indicates bad weather.

WHAT THE SKY INDICATES

When you see a dark, dismal sky, look for rain. A sky with a greenish hue, described as a sickly-looking sky, is an indication of both rain and wind. A sailor’s sky, which is red in the morning, means either wind or rain, and it makes no difference if the sky is cloudy or clear, if at sunset it is rosy, it indicates fine weather. A gray sky in the morning indicates fine weather. When daylight is first seen above a bank of clouds, look for a good stiff wind. Wind is indicated if we have a bright yellow sky in the morning, and rain is indicated if the sky takes on a pale yellow hue. If the sky turns bright yellow late in the afternoon, it generally indicates that rain is near at hand. Unusual colorations, particularly of deep intense color, indicate wind or rain.

The following appearances indicate a change in the weather: When the atmosphere is clear and crystalline and the stars appear extremely bright; when the background of the horizon seems to be pinned up against the foreground; when the clouds form into delicate white film-like mist way up overhead. (Fig. 33.)

WHAT FOG AND DEW INDICATE

Locality has considerable to do with what the fog indicates. As a rule, where you have fog, there is not much wind, and as a result it does not indicate stormy weather, unless the fog becomes heavy with overhanging sky, then it is apt to turn into rain, but a heavy fog with a light sky indicates fine weather. A fog in the morning generally indicates a fair day. A rising fog is a good indication for fair weather.

Courtesy Julien Friez & Sons, Baltimore, Md.

Fig. 34 ]

Fig. 35 ]

Dew is a pretty good sign of fine weather. When you can see and hear with remarkable clearness, and everything is calm and still, it is a pretty infallible sign that cold weather is due.

Frost may be looked for on clear, calm, cloudless nights, when the ground is apt to be cooler than the air.

INDICATIONS FROM CIRRUS CLOUDS

When these clouds suddenly appear in the sky on a clear summer day, they indicate wet weather. Especially if the weather ends turn upward, which means that the clouds are coming down. When moisture in the form of little drops cling to vegetation, it is a pretty good indication that there is apt to be more rain.

When the sky assumes the appearance of a gray mass and the sun is observed shining through, it is a pretty good indication that it will rain before night.

When overhead clouds are thick and grayish and the lower surface of them is lumpy, this is an indication of rain.

Whirlwinds of dust are also indications of rain.

THE MOON

The rings that we see formed about the moon are caused by the delicate white clouds through which the moon is shining.