Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-10
roREcAsrINc WEATHER.
Signs by Which Sailors Discuss the
Coming Storm.

pilots rival the weather bureau in fore,
.. telling storms, winds and pleasan,
days. and as it often happens are more
nearly correct. Habits of observation
through long years Of experience from
being brought up in the atmosphere nf
weather where the indications of the
heavens meant much to them. and
from having had handed down to them
/ about the fireside and about their
daily work, the experience of their
elders, make them prophets of no mean
merit.
] Take two or three of them together,
end il the question of tomorroW's rain
or sunshine should be the anxious
topic OF discussion. listen to the unip-
tcIliglblc words OF wisdom which is
sure to fall from their lips.
I'm afraid that the wind (westerly)
is going to shift to the 'nor'ard' and
will be around to 'sou'east' with rain,
! before morning" is a fair sample Of
an old-timer's expert opinion.
1T will SNOW before morning and
later turn to rain" was an observation
made quite recently by an old deep
water man. His prophecy was full
| flied although the weather bureau
said simply snow.
| Ask one how he knows, by what
things he Is able TO tell, and he will as
invariably say, "'Oh. by the looks of the
sky"
Pin him down to n description of the
sky at the time and his reasons for his
| deductions. and nine times out Of ten
| he will be unable to answer He mere
! ~ knows by years Of experience that
such and such condition of the sky
usually indicates the weather for the
| next "a hours. without being able to
point out one particular reason why.
Still. they always like to have a look at
| the little card sent around by the
weather bureau.
One day last week Telegram re-
porter tramped through the highways
byways, Offices and general loaflng
places of fishermen and sailors. to col
lect general information on winds
rains and storms in general. He OBJ
tanned a mass of facts, theories and
general observations which will be set
forth for the general information of
amateur prophets and the nuisance of
their frie nds.
A small boat fisherman said: Of sea
weed which has been thrown up above
high water mark, should remain dry
and full Of sand fleas. during clear
weather, that dry weather is to be
expected during the next "a hours: but
that previous TO foggy or wet weather
the sand fieas would take wings and
the weed would be damp.
If rock weed, either floating or at
tached to rocks be dry on a clear day,
good clear weather is TO be looked for.
but if it be wet, even though the sun
shines, look out for rain and postpone
all picnics.'
Cool, damp air, which seems 10 go
right through one. blowing from the
eastward or southwark. even on Il
clear. sunshiny summer day. is good
indication Of log. Fog generally comes
from the eastward. though some of the
thick fog has come from the south
west. and it often blows in from the
| southwark. Fog seldom arrives with
a northeast wind. Very thick fogs APP
pear off this coast in May and continue
off and on through the summer to the
first of September. From this time on
very little is seen.
SKY INDICATIONS.
yellow rays appearing 10 radi&te
| from the sun 10 the water. Il condition
ordinarily called sun drawing water
is e very good indication that there
will be a storm within 81 hours.
"Hakes Mouths 4 peculiar forna :
ton of clouds, resembling the mouths
Of hakes, indicates wind and no
| scarcity of il. Long streaky clouds.
and smurry clouds. are also good signs
Of strong winds, and ono that no sailor
| neglects.
one OF the best weather prophets at
night is the stars. II they wink. OF
twinkle. it is because the atmosphere
above is disturbed, and that n storm is
a brewing If, on the contrary. they
show a steady light. the following day
| should be fair.
| Mackerel skies, or that ribbed forml-
ton of the clouds which much re-
semblcs the markings on a mackerefs
back, indicate rain in summer. and
snow in winter.
| Heavy banks in the northeast ana
southwest, indicates stiff "nor'eas'-
| or"
| Northern lights are also something OF
| an indication, usually prophesyinS
good weather though the authorities
differ on this point Vivid lightning
in the southwark. followed shortly by
the northern lights. usually Indicates
light southerly winds.
TIDES.
| When nights are the longest tides
from u A. NJ. to 12 p. NJ. are the high
est. When nights are shortest, tides
from u F. NJ. TO II A. NJ. are highest.
When day and night are even length,
the tides are even.
If during 4 heavy storm with the
wind anywhere between northeast and
southwest, the winds shift around Il
west or northwest during the ficod
tide between the hours of ten and
eleven at night, the succeeding day
will be clear, and you can make plans
for several days of good weather.
WINDS.
After heavy Southwestern the wind
usually changes TO northwest. Tne
same is true of Il s3utheaste".
II westerly winds go down with the
sun. they will rise with the sun the
next morning, but if they continue 10
/ midnight and then go down, would in