Weather sign in nature..dont be reliant on technology

ivanthehunter

I'd like to see a thread here that allows the lay man make weather predictions from an analysis of current conditions simply by looking out the window or by stepping outside the backdoor..
I accept that some analysis over a short time frame will be essential for some weather prediction methods, ie a change in temp or in wind direction.

The range of the possible forecast is also of concern ie. the high pressure might break in 12hrs, 24hrs or 48hrs. Perhaps you are about to be hit by a storm with in one hour???

Over the years i have gathered up a lot of little techniques for weather prediction but i'm not going to post them unless other are also interested in this topic..???

So any body going to take the bait???

Snowbie

Sounds good, types of clouds i use to predict weather in the short term.

From my point of view birds/animals, plants/flowers and looking at clouds can predict weather to an extent.

Fringe

What would you look for in animals?

Snowbie

Fringe wrote: »

What would you look for in animals?

Dogs hear thunder way before humans. It drives them nuts from a distance while terrifies them when its near upon us for an example.

Danno

Dark cloud on the horizon - rain immenent!

Supercell

Clouds moving in opposite directions -> showers followed by rain likely (depression to the south)

littlebug

Birds flying low = rain

smoke from chimney blowing down to the ground rather than straight up= rain.

that's all I can think of.

How can you tell anything about the weather from plants and flowers

Holyharry

Hey Ivan... great idea for a thread!

I'm cutting silage next week, and need to be able to predict incoming bad weather anyway possible, because rain ruins the harvest. Can you upload a few pointers for us farmers? We've given up depending on that "shower" in Montrose

I'll add two things that always work for me...

On a clear day, if you see thin wisps of cloud high up in the stratosphere, I think they're called horsetails or something, there's a cold front, and likely rain, on the way in about 36 hours.

Whatever weather occurs on a new moon will tend to stay until the full moon, and vice versa. Next new moon is Tuesday, 3rd June.

ivanthehunter

birds flying low is a bit to general,
I would think you mean swallows,& the reason they fly low is to catch insects.
The insects are the true species that are affected by the atmospheric conditions, the birds are only following them.

Rain approaching is heralded by cows sitting under a hedge together.
Wind direction can be felt:p or you can see it by the way cows line up in the fields with the backsides to the wind,:eek:

supercell- you are nearly spot on:-
the reason we have clouds moving in different directions is (AFAIK) because of the approaching low system, which spin anticlockwise (yes?)

This mean that if you put your back to the wind the low pressure is to you left (33 Deg rear of left to be exact)

As our weather systems generally approach from a position South West of Ireland it is relatively easy to second guess the approach of a storm center(yes?)

hawkwing

"On a clear day, if you see thin wisps of cloud high up in the stratosphere, I think they're called horsetails or something, there's a cold front, and likely rain, on the way in about 36 hours."--there is nearly always rain within 36hrs in Ireland so that is a safe one!!:(

Snowbie

littlebug wrote: »

How can you tell anything about the weather from plants and flowers

There you go

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/weatherwise/living/surroundings/plants.shtml

ivanthehunter wrote:

Over the years i have gathered up a lot of little techniques for weather prediction but i'm not going to post them unless other are also interested in this topic..???

So any body going to take the bait???

You got our attention and we took the bait, so whats your techniques?

Deep Easterly

A lot of dogs barking/howling during the night can portend thunder or stormy winds. I remember a few years ago as well when I was working in Claregalway that horses in a nearby field went frantic hours before a thunderstorm arrived.

I think animals know something we don't..:D

ivanthehunter

A change in Wind direction!
Read this three times:D

A change in wind direction at ground level which is clockwise is a sign of improving weather and a change in wind direction at ground level which is an anticlockwise change is the precursor to deteriorating weather.

Wind direction changes can tell us alot if they are monitored whilst keeping an eye on cloud directions in the different layers of the atmosphere.

An indication as to the possible arrival of a low center at your location (Ireland:D) can be gained by observation of the relationship between high level and low level cloud directions.
If again you place your back to the wind(at ground level), and observe the direction of the highest clouds, if the high level clouds approaches form the left then the weather will worsen but if the high level cloud approaches from the right then the weather will be alright..
So from the right the weather will be alright!!!!! 90%rule(true 90% of Time)

I use "right" with "alright" as its easy to remember...........

As to high level and low level cloud, I think one is in the ionosphere and the other is in the stratosphere! ?????

In my experience this rule is only good for a few hours generally 4-5hrs and possibly 8-10hrs at the outside.

I have used it with great success to predict bad weather and high winds that effect tower crane operation and it has allowed me to prioritize the lifts and given be the ability to dangle carrots in-front of crane drivers by offering them an early finish if the work through breaks as i know the weather will worsen in the coming hours;)
With the arrival of bad weather (crane drivers) they will simply stop working anyway so at least i have gained the ability to hold some control over a bad situation by prioritizing and forward planning..

My mum always said if the train sounds louder than usual it's a sign of rain and she was right!

We live 2 fields away from a railway track and prior to rain,the train running along the track is always much louder than usual.

ch750536

Deleted User wrote: »

My mum always said if the train sounds louder than usual it's a sign of rain and she was right!

We live 2 fields away from a railway track and prior to rain,the train running along the track is always much louder than usual.

Change in air density?

ivanthehunter

ch750536 wrote: »

Change in air density?

Whats the cause?
New weather system approaching with higher pressure which gives higher air density, this would mean better weather????

Or is it an increase in density cause be the air being saturated up to the dew point with water vapor.


Never mind the train, if you know anybody with curly hair:D, it too will look even more curly, as human hair is very sensitive to humidity...

Human hair was use in the manufacture of the first hydrometers:eek:

ivanthehunter

Theres the obvious old saying of "red sky at night Shepard's delight, red sky at morn Shepard's warn!"

If in the mornings there be mountains(building clouds) then by evening there be fountains(rain/heavy showers),

Budding trees can give a heads up for the coming season by the order in which the different species bud.
Oak before Ash we're in for a splash, Ash before Oak we're in for a soak;)

Deep Easterly

ivanthehunter wrote: »

Theres the obvious old saying of "red sky at night Shepard's delight, red sky at morn Shepard's warn!"

If in the mornings there be mountains(building clouds) then by evening there be fountains(rain/heavy showers),

Budding trees can give a heads up for the coming season by the order in which the different species bud.
Oak before Ash we're in for a splash, Ash before Oak we're in for a soak;)

There is a line of small hills lying to the near north of my location, and I notice that even on a fine morning if there is mist covering the tops of them that is was sure to rain before the day was out. Last summer this proved correct, every morning they were covered!!

ivanthehunter

Its a bit crazy to take anything for weather sign out of last years summer:p
But it could be as simple as moisture laden air showing its presence. As the air mass is forced up the Hill, this air cools and water molecules condense to form micro droplets that have the ability to obscure the light to some degree, put trillions and trillions together and you get mist. that IMO and AFAIK.

And as the precursor of rain is an increase in moisture, some times this is detected by sensitive sniffers smelling the presence of rain on the approaching wind.

ivanthehunter

Heres one for the skeptics. Cats are reputed to often disappear ahead of the arrival of a storm system.:D;)

Here pussy puss puss!!!!!!!

In some beliefs it is stated that the position of a cats tail will indicate the storm approach:eek: That is , whether or not it is held in an up right position or stowed away beneath the beast

ivanthehunter

Did you ever see a day where the sea gulls where all inland? What sort of weather did you experience on those types of days..