The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-09-30
some Weather Signs.

/
the utility Of meteorological observation
when conducted under the direction ofmen
of scientific culture and experience. The
/ following general weather signs, taken from
the columns of a contemporary, will not be
ungratefully received by the ADVOCATE
reader:
I Animated bodies receive peculiar impress
sions that precede and announce change Of
weather. Thus we hear distant sounds
better when there Is going to be rain we
also then see remote objects more distinct
ly, and bad odors are more offensive than
usual
Swallows skim the ground in their flight;
is it that they may feed on the worms that
then come out to the surface? Lizards
hide, cats make their toilet, birds oil their
feathers, flies bite more sharply, chickens
scratch themselves and roll in the dust, fish
leap out Of the water, and Aquatic birds
Zap their wings and dabble in the ponds and
brooks
Nearly all the signs indicated announce
dampness in the air, rather than the APP
Proach Of rain, for they are not seen when
a storm occurs in dry weather Thus the
swelling Of woodwork, which renders it
difficult to close doors made of soft timber,
and the contraction and tension of cordage
made Of vegetables fibres, are counted
among the signs of atmospheric humidity.
Rude hygrometers have even been con
structed of Il csc fibres.
Certain flowers do not open at all in
rainy weather; others, the Siberian thistle
particularly, remain open or shut accord
ing as the weather is going to be rainy or
dry.
Pallor Of the sun ANNOUNCES rain it is
seen, at such times only, through an at
mosphere laden with vapors If the heat
be sitting, that, zoo, is sign Of rain for
one is then surrounded by an atmosphere
saturated with vapor, and more readily
heated, owing TO its lack Of transparency.
If the vapors be collected in clouds, the
suns rays that pass through the latter
heigbten the temperature more than they
would have done in perfectly clear wealth
er. If the sun be clear and brilliant, it
foretels fine day but when the sun is at
its rising preceded by redness, and this red
ness passes off the moment it does appear,
~ sign is Of rain.
Two winds Of opposite qualities succeed
ing each other often bring rain. Thus a
cold wind entering an atmosphere impreg-
mated with moisture by the warm wind that
preceded it will bring about a precipitation
Of water and the same will be the case
where damp, warm wind enters air that
had been chilled by the wind tbat had pre-
coded it.
Generally, an approaching rain can be
better foreseen when the sky presents sew
eral banks or layers OF clouds resting one
above the other The winds that carry
with them detached masses Of clouds yield
but light rains.
Motionless clouds, lying in the quarter
AhenOe the wind blows, bring only con
- puanee of that wind hut if they appear
IN the opposite quarter, they announce its
termination.
Clouds coming up simultaneously, yet
impeled by different winds, announce an
early storm.
Clouds accumulatiGg on the sides Of
mountains foretell rain.
The following are the signs most familiar
to navigators and farmers:
A rosy sky a sunset, fine weather. A
red sky in the morning, bad weather, or a
great deal of wind
A gray sky in the morning, fine weather.
If the first light Of dawn appears over a bed
Of clouds, wind may be looked for. If on
the horizon, fine weather.
] Light clouds with imperfectly defined
edges announce fine weather and moderate
breeEes. Thick clouds with we'll marked
edges. wind. A deep, dark blue sky Of
somber tlnge indicates wind A clear and
brilliant blue sky indicates fine weather.
The lighter the clouds look, the less reason
is there to anticipate wind. The more
dense, the more rolled together, twisted and
tattered they are, the stronger the wind
will be.
A brilliant yellow sky at sunset aanonn-
ces wind a pale yellow one, rain. Ac-
cording to the performance Of red, yellow
or grsyish tints, we can foretell the con
dition Of the weather with a very close app
Proclamation to accuracy.
Small cloudssof an inky color portend
rain.
Light clouds moving rapidly in the direc-
ton opposite to dense masses, announce
wind and rain.
High clouds passing before the sun, the
moon, or the stars, in direction opposite
to that pursued by the lower beds of
clouds, or of the wind felt at the
surface Of the soil, indicate change of
wind.
After 6De weather, the first signs of a
change are ordinarily high white clouds in
belts, or in light dappled tufts or locks,
which grow larger and soon form dense and
somber masses Generally. the more re-
mote and higher up these clouds appear, the
less abrupt the change of weather will be,
but it will be considerable.
Soft, light, delicate tints, with clouds Of
decided shade, indicate or accompany fine
weather.
Extraordinary tints and dense clouds,
with hard outlines, indicate rain, and prob
ably gale Of wind.
Remark the clouds that form on bills and
other elevated places, and cling there. IF
they continue there, augment or descend,
they Indicate rain. If they, however, as
cend and disPerse, they POrtend good
weather.
When seabirds fly out away from land
in the morning. there will be fine weather
and moderate winds. Ifthey remain near
the shore, or fly inland, gales and storms
may be expected. Many other animals are
susceptible to atmospheric changes, and
these Indications should not he neglected.
Thus, when birds that usually fly in
6oeks-swallows, Cor instance-keep near
to their nests, flying from one side 10 the
other, and skimming the ground, the sign
is of rain or wind. When domestic sni-
mails seek sheltered places, when chimneys
smoke, or when, IN calm weather, the smoke
does not ascend overhead, bad weather may