The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-11-03 00:00:00

WEATHER PROGNOSTICS.

From the beginning, from the earliest egoeb, the
attention of nian has been directed to the detection of
those signs which precede changes of the weather: and
the popular proverbs end rhymes of all 'Mims.' Ulm'.
nate those hints of nature which advanced science in
the present day confirms end explains: so that
"weather wisdom" is very fax from being • mete
superstition • on the contrsry, every person who may
combine observation of the elements with such indi•
cations as may be obtained from isuitruments will find
that the more sccurately the two sources of knowledge
are compared and combined, the more eatisfactory
their results will prove. Ability to foretel weather
can be acquired only by degrees. A look at the glasses
at home, and an eye turned occasionally to the heavens,
will enable anyone who pleases to take this trouble to
forsee accurately, after a little practice, the principal
changes of our variable, though regularly varying,
climate. .

To • careful observer everything in time becomos
tort of weather.gauge. The cloud.' the sky, the sue,
the moos, the stars, the rainbow, the trees, the
flowers, the birds—in fine, almost evory Insect or
animal with which we are acquainted, becomes the
instrument of real and useful knowledge.

.--
Cfoivis.—Nrunerous prognostics of the weather may
be gathered from the obeervation of clouds; they are,
al it were, floating barometers and thermometers in the
skies, and are ever ready to indicate coming weather,
if we study them with an adequate knowledge of their
causes, the shapes they assume, the directions they
take, and their position in the sky; in a word, they
are the great otorehousee of rain. They have been
classified by Mr. Luke Howard according t thir
shapes, to which he gave the names "Cirrus,"
"Cumulous," "Stratus," and "Nimbus." The Cirrus
clouds reaemble locks of hair ("mare's tails") or
feather., m.motiroe• covering the fae• of the sky with a
thin tran•parent noose. If threw clouds form during
fine weather, with • falling barometer, it is almost sure
to rain. The Cumulu clouds are like huge sager-
loaves, conical or convex from • horizontal base. If
they form during fine weather they indicato its con-
tinuance, but if they are fleecy and sail against the
wind they indicate rain: if their outline is very hard
and they coins up with the wind, they hostel fine
weather. The Stratus aloud is what we sometimes see
in the evening—an ostensive continuous horizontal
sheet of cloud or creeping mist, always nearer the
earth then any other cloud. Should it disappear in
the morning we may expect the finest weather, but
should it combine with the Cirrus cloud, forming what
sailors call "mackerel sky," wind and rain will follow:
hence the saying—
- •- •

Mackerel widen and nurse tails
Make lofty ships carry low orals."
Clouds composed of Cumulus and Stratus assume all
ports a gigantil forms, such u towers, huge rock., Ice.;
they portend •chsuge of weather; beam the saying—
,. When clouds appear like rocksand towers
The earth's refreshed by frequent showers.'

The Nimbus is the true and immediate rain eloud,
shapeless. but with defined outline, its edge gradually
shaped off from the deep, grey mast into transparency.
Jut before rain we may observe small under-clouds
what the sailors call "scud," often moving with much
greater velocity than those above them. As wind is
only air in motion its first effect is in driving the clouds
before it; hence, when clouds Boat about in a serene
sky, from whatever quarter they come, you may
expect wind; if they come from the north-sect they
denote wind, if from the south great rein,; but let
them came from what quarter they will, if you see
them driving about at sunset they are sure signs of an
approaching tempest. Soft-looking or delicate clouds
foretet fine weather—bard-edged oily-looking clouds,
yrind—mall inky-looking clouds, rain.
The Sky. —A bright yellow sky at sunset presages
wind—a,pale yellow, wet ; and • greenish sickly-looking
colour, wind and rain ; thus, by the prevalence of red,
yellow, and other tints, the coming weather may he
foretold very nearly. After fine clear weather, the first
signs in the sky of a coming change are usually white
streaks or mottled patches of distant clouds, and arts
followed by an overcasting of murky vapour that finally
grows into cloudiness; this appearance is an infallible
sign of rain—a light, bright, blue sky indicates fine
weather—s red sky in the morning, bad weather—a grey
sky in the morning, fine weather—a high dawn, wield—
s low dawn, fair weather. A "high dawn" is when
the first indications of daylight are seen above &bank
of clouds' a "low dawn" is when the day break' on
or near the horizon, the first streaks of light being
very low down. A tred-louring sky at sunrise indicates
• wet day; this results from the fact that the higher
regions of the air are laden with vapour, which is on
the point of condensation, and which the heat of the
rising sun is insufficient to disperse ; hence the weather
axiom—

"II red tbe SIM begins hie race,
Bo sun that rain will fall apace."

Among weather prognostics from metal appearances
may be mentioned that remarkable clearness of
atmospheric near the horizon—distant object+, saah as
hills, unusuaily visible or raised by refraction, may be
mentioned smongst signs of wet. Inanimate creation
also sounds the alarca'of coming wet, for stones seem to
sweat, and wood swells, salt becomes damp, and string
of violins shrink and snap against rain.
The Se*.—A red 'unmet indicates a floe day to-
morrow; the vapour is not actually condensed into
clouds, and so it refracts the red rays of sunlight. A
grey sunset indicates wet; evidently, the air on the
surface of the earth is very damp at the time, saturated
with vapour, so we may expect wet; and hence the
saying:—

Evening red and morning grey
Bet the traveller on his ,ay;
Evening grey and morning red
Bring ruin In torrent, on his head."
A yellow 'onset indicates wet; the vapour of the air
being actually condensed into clouds, presents more
resistants) to the rays alight, and so the molt reheated
rays, the yellow, are bent to the eye. The vapour, of
the sir are therefore in a lit condition to descend as rain,
which may be soon expected. If the sun at rising
appears enlarged, there will shortly be gladden shower.,
Ii in summer, but in winter settled and moderate
weather; the enlarged appearance of the son Is the
result of dense vapour in the air on the point of con-
densation. If the sun set behind • straight skirting of
cloud be sure of wind from that point if it set behind
o rugged rocky, or mixed bank of clouds, rimy stormy,
wet, or showery will be the morrow—if it set in a
general sheet of haziness of a dusky, leaden hue, bad
weather is near. A very clear sunset, of a pale gold
colour, is a sign of fine weather, if there be a dewy
evening with it; the prevalence of dew hp in itself an
Indication of fine weather, because it is not formed
when the sky ie cloudy, or when there is mush wind.
When the deomition of dew takes place, tho warmth
from the earth is prevented from escaping, by some non-
conductor of heat, as grams, leaving the surface of the
blades of grass much colder than the surrounding sir;
hones dew la formed. A clear orange-coloured amulet
foretells a very line day to follow.
The Moue dad Stara—The Influence of the moon on
the weather has been doubted on high authority—that
of the French astronomer Arno, who alleged that the
changes most be only • coincidence, sometimes observed
and mistakingly inferred is • law; in spite of this,
however, the influence of the Moon on the weather
will be maintained by many as ocomioning rain in its
phases of new and full. Admiral Fitzroy said that
every weather-prophet appeals to the moon. The
ancient Egyptian, observed the peculiar effect which
the moon produces on the oat ; if the eyes of that
animal be observed at new moon, the pupils will be
forted to be extremely small, and they will be sees to
WASP nridunlly am Me moan receives addllional beat

front the sun ; and at the WM of full moon the pupils are
at the largest, and they as gradually diminish towards
the change. 'the Shepherd of Banbury,who formed rules
to judge of the changes of weather on his esperienes of
40 year.' observations, simply tells us that the appear'
acre of halm round the moon is a sign of wet ; that if
she shine thin and sleety, she indicator serenity ; but if
she appear red, and her whole illuminated part 'visible,
end in a vista of vibration, she portend wind. And
Virsil .ay.-
1f on her cheeks you we the maiden's blush,
The ruddy uumn foreshow, the winds will rush."
It has also been remarked by the Banbury Shepherd
that a fog in the new moon is a sign of good weather—
in the old a sign of wet. The dimness of the stars and
other heavenly bodies is one of the serest signs of very
rainy weather. When tiny look bigger than usual, are
pale and dull, and without rays, the clouds are condens-
ing into rein, which will very soon follow. If it begin
to rain an hour or two before sunrise, it is likely to
clear up baler° noon, and so continue ell day ; but if
the rain begin an hour or two after sunrise, it is likely
to rain all day, except the rainbow be seen before it
rains.
The Rainbone.—l may observe that when the rainbow
appears, the spectator has the sun behind him, and the
dourly with the bow in them before him. We are all
too well acquainted with the colours to need a deserip-
tion of them here; if the green be large and bright, it
Is • aign of rain; if red be the strongest colour, there
will he wind and rain together. After a long drought
the rainbow is a sign of rein. After much wet the
rainbow Indicates fair weather. If the rainbow breaks
up all at once, there will follow settled weather. If the
bow be seen in the morning rain will follow, because
morning rainbow is always in the west, and our heavy
rains are generally brought to us by west and south-
west winds, therefore the clouds which present the rain-
bow in the west must be coming up with the wind;
hence the saying -
" A rainbow in the morning
lithe shepherd's warning."
If the bow be seen at noon, we may export nettled and
heavy rains; if at night, fair weather, because it meat
then be in the out, or opposite the sun, oonsequently
the clouds rt denting the rainbow must have been driven
from west to east, having a'ready passed over us, and
therefore departing front us ' • hence the saying—
A rahm ib at hi -ht
Is the shepherd's delight."
Frowers.—Flo were and plants are good barometers.
The Trefoil swells in the stalk against rain, but the
leaves droop and Lang down. If the Siberian Sow.
thistle shuts at night, the ensuing day will be floe ; if
it opens it will be cloudy sod rainy. It the African
Marigold continues abet deer 7 in the morning, rain
I. at hand. The Pimpernel (Acsaiellts arvensis), which
is • very women dower, and may be *ailed the poor
men's weather-glase, shuts jowl( up extremely close
against rainy weather. Just before rain flowers smell
stronger and sweeter, simply bemuse the vapours of the
air pr the scouted particles of their perfume from
asoending, as they would in drier air; and for similar
reason. ereepoole, Igo, give notice of their existenoe.
Birdl—When tabs is coming, ducks and geese preen
themselves, and make nohow of washing. Swallows fly
up and down low ; they fly low because their food is low,
for the insects which they feed upon have taken refuge
from the colder regions of the air, where the change is
beginning, in the warmer air near the earth: crows
make a gliding motion in their flight, Galled playing at
football: the song of the robin, perched early is the
morning on the top branch, is • sure sign of a tine day:
If seeks crow at unusual hours, hot especially when •
hen and her chickens avowd into the house, rain is at
hand; cocks are prised In Japan for this reason.
cannot be doubted that Nature has
given to animals instinct in prognosticating is change of
weather, for when cattle reek sheltered places instead
of spreading over their usual range, an unfavourable
change is probable, it Lot certain rain or stormy
weather. If oxen lie on their right side, look towards
the south, and lick their hoofs. if cows look up into the
air and small it, anti if asses bray violently: those are
cure signs of rain. At the approach of rain cats turn
their backs to the fire and rub their ears, this is owing
either to the incipient humidity getting between the hair
or the air being surchargel with electricity, both of
which Cal 1•04 produce the sensation of itching, which
the eat experiences intensely, its hair being very
electrical.