folklore and weather prediction

pfredricks · Post by **pfredricks** » Oct 13 2003 7:40 pm

(wo)Mankind has always attempted to predict the changing of the weather. Careful study of nature has revealed several accurate and some bogus ways of weather prediction. This thought brings back to mind a post that discussed crickets chirps per minute and temperature. I will try to find that info as it is factual. I would like to hear wild ways that some of you pay attention to the weather, if any.

First of, I have a sunnto watch that has a barometer. Careful study of that has been very helpful. WIth that being said.
Here are some that I have heard and pay attention to you.
1.pine cones, open up and close in response to impending rain
2. a hazy ring around the moon signals high levels of moisture in the air
(not sure if it works)
3. I study the types of clouds. -not only the current type, but where there any the day or night before.
4.I have heard that a red horizon at dawn can signal possible precipitation
5.If snick33 has been at verde hot springs, there will likely be a full moon(fairly reliable)

Okay-any weirdo techniques????

Later-
found it!
The cricket conversation started with, I believe my favorite snick33 post of all time
http://www.hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtop ... c&start=49

Daryl · Post by **Daryl** » Oct 14 2003 9:21 am

Nothing weird, just watch the clouds and what direction they are moving relative to the wind. If there is a storm moving towards you and the wind is blowing toward the storm, hold on to your socks because it can be a pretty bad one!

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Oct 14 2003 3:49 pm

I cheat! I get on the NOAA, Flagstaff site and look at the weather forecast.

Also, I follow these rules, generally.

*Weather forecast can be wrong, so I do not take it for gospel.

*Summers-I hike trails above 6000 feet, or in the mountains.

*Winter- I hike below 6000 feet, or in the deserts. Although, this did bite me in the behind this year,

when on a hike a surprise storm dumped some snow on me. I was not wholly prepared for that afternoon.

*The weather in Arizona can be best described as freakish! In the Prescott region at least. The pass few winters have been mild, to mild. So mild, it has felt like spring.

Daryl · Post by **Daryl** » Oct 15 2003 6:24 am

Yes, never rely on the forecast.

olesma · Post by **olesma** » Oct 15 2003 9:56 am

pfredricks wrote:5.If snick33 has been at verde hot springs, there will likely be a full moon(fairly reliable)

That is freakin' hilarious.

Ol' Ricky do have a reputation now - don't he....

bzachar · Post by **bzachar** » Oct 15 2003 7:02 pm

I used to do a lot of sailing. There are no weather broadcasts at sea so you use other techniques which can also be used on land. You can predict weather on a very coarse level by reading clouds. From the Annapolis Book of Seamanship:

1. Isolated, wispy, white and/or very high clouds are indications of very fine weather.

2. Crowded, dense, dark and towering clouds indicate changing or worsening weather.

3. The sharper edge the of a thundercloud and the darker its color, the more violence it contains.

4. The weather will change if cloud, color, shape, and size change.

5. Warm fronts are preceded by stratus clouds.

6. As cumulus clouds darken and enlarge and become cumulonimbus clouds, expect squall in 60-90 minutes.

There's also several jingles. The one referred to above is:
"Red sky in morning, sailor take warning,
Red sky at night,sailor's delight"

This means the weather to the West of you at sunset is fair if it has dust particles in it reflecting the setting sun (like so many of our AZ sunsets). If the Eastern sky is red at sunrise, the fine weather has already passed to the East. The 3-day cycle of weather suggests that change is on the way.

... and there's many more jingles.

For a more complete treatment of this subject get a copy of the book.

Bill

Trishness · Post by **Trishness** » Oct 17 2003 7:55 pm

In response to bzachar's reply:

My dad was in the Navy and went by the "red sky in morning" ditty. I've heard some other pretty good folklore over the years.

6 weeks after you hear the cicadas sing, the first frost will appear.

There is a caterpillar called a Wooly Bear caterpillar and they are orange on each end with a brown stripe in the middle. If the brown stripe is narrow, it will be a severe winter. I think this caterpillar turns into a tiger moth.

The ring around the moon is what we referred to as a "harvest moon" and is indicative of a frost. (yes....high altitude condensation)

If a squirrel has a very bushy tail, it will be a cold winter.

I don't even want to touch the cricket thing but thought it was hilarious.

Trish

KIXEM · Post by **KIXEM** » Oct 17 2003 9:42 pm

In response to Trishness' reply:

TSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSKTSK, TSK,TSK, TSK= 102 :twisted: degrees

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Oct 19 2003 7:26 am

Aye, I noticed a couple of you mentioned nautical tales and experiences. Back in my limited seafaring days, I would just ask the"Boatswain Mate" what the weather would be like.

plummer150 · Post by **plummer150** » Oct 21 2003 10:48 am

I'm not big on watching the weather or anything, they're never right out here. I usually just go outside to see what the weather and temp is, works out pretty good actually. Try it sometime.

montezumawell · Post by **montezumawell** » Oct 22 2003 8:00 pm

The only weather wisdom we know for sure:

"There's only two kinds of people who predict Arizona weather: newcomers and fools."

J&S

pfredricks · Post by **pfredricks** » Oct 24 2003 7:54 am

well, I have been here 11 years.
What exactly are you saying here, mntzmwell?

whereveriroam · Post by **whereveriroam** » Oct 25 2003 1:26 am

Animals, insects and birds actions can give a clue to short term weather. Spiders will spin long webs and crawl around their web when the weather will be fair and not very windy. However if rain is approaching the web will be compact, re-enforced and the creepy crawler will stay in the center. Fresh webs in the morning will bring good weather.
Insects will cling to the inside of your tent in increased numbers if moisture is coming as well as fly lower then usual. A way to determine if insects are flying low is to see how low the birds that eat them dive to feast on them.
These next few will be hard to spot; Elk will move out of high country prior to snow and deer will feed up and take cover before a bad storm.
Campfires can also be a good for something by watching what the smoke does. If it rises that's a good sign of good weather but if it goes up only a few feet and spreads out and or downward moisture is coming. In the mountains air currents that flow downward in the early morning and then drift upwards toward sunset are a sign of fair weather. If those are reversed a storm is nearing. A note with that is you can throw that out during monsoon season.
There are quite a few other ways to forecast weather some mostly forgotten by todays society. I try and find real old camping books/survival books since they contain info on such things that aren't passed down from generation to generation anymore. Learning cloud types and the different levels of the atmosphere although hard can help you out.

folklore and weather prediction

folklore and weather prediction

Re: folklore and weather prediction

re:

Ol' Reliable

the weather