Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1886 — WEATHER SIGNS. [ARTICLE]

WEATHER SIGNS.

Wlilch May Be Observed by Karly-Kisinc Students of Nature. The man who is out of doors at sunrise can form a pretty accurate opinion of what the day will be. If just before sunrise the sky—especially in the west —is suffused with red, rain generally follows in the course of the day. In winter, often snow. If, however, it be frosty weather, the downfall is sometimes delayed On the other hand, if the sky be a dull gray, and the sun rises clear, gradually dispersing the vapors, it will be fine. If he retires behind the clouds, and there are reddish streaks about, it will rain. Should the sun, later in the day, shine through a gray watery haze, it will probably be a rainy night. Ihe sunset is very unreliable. Often a beautiful sunset will be followed by a bad day. After a rainy day, suddenly at sunset, in the far west, will appear a magnificent steak of crimson mot copper color) —this generally foretells a fine day. A tinted halo around the sun at setting occurs in long-continued rainy -weather. A halo around the moon, especially if some distance from it, is a sure indication of downfall at hand. Rainbows are unreliable except they occur in the morning, when rain may be expected. Sundogs, and fragments of prismatic colors during tbe day, show continued unsettled weather. A dazzling metallic luster on foliage during a cloudless day in summer precedes a change. Huge piled-up masses of white cloud in a blue sky, during winter, indicate snow or hail. If small, dark clouds float below the upper ones, moving faster than they, rain will follow, as it will if, in the morning, ldw-liangitig, pale-brown, smoke-like clouds are floating about. Red-tinged clouds, high up, at evening, are followed by wind, occasionally by rain. Mists at evening over low-lying ground, or near a river, precede fine and warm days. If a mist in the morning clears off as the sun gets higher it will be fine; but if it settles down again after lifting a little, rain is at hand. No dew in the morning is mostly followed by rain; and a heavy dew in the evening by a fine day. Rain follows two or three consecutive hoar frosts. A shower of hail in the daytime is usually followed by frost at night. If, after rain, drops of water still hang on the branches and twigs, and to window frames, the rain will return ; but if they fall, and the Avoodwork dries, fine weather is at hand. Stones turn damp before wet; at the same time it must be observed that the fact of their doing so does not invariably indicate rain, for they Avill do so occasionally before heat. Smoke descending heavily to the ground is a sign of very doubtful weather. Objects at great distances, wdiich are generally indistinctly seen, or even not seen at* all, sometimes loom out clear and distinct. When this happens bad weather or change of wind ensues. A wellknoAvn instance of this is the Isle of Wight, as seen from Soutlisea. If the opposite shore is plainly seen, there is rain about. If, at night, after being blown out and exposed to the outer air, the wick of a candle continues to smolder a long time, the next day will be fine. Green-colored sky betokens unsettled, bad weather, often long continued. If, on a fine day, the dust suddenly rise in a revolving, spiral column, rain is near.

The howling of the wind indicates, in most houses, but not invariably, that doAvnfall is near. In some houses, owing to their construction, the Avind always moans. Wherever the wind is at time of the vernal equinox (March 21 and thereabout) that will be the prevailing wind throughout tho next three months. If the stars appear unusually numerous and the “milky way” very clearly defined, with the surrounding sky dark, or if there is a misty appearance over the stars, rain is coming; while if there be but few stars, and those very bright and sparkling, in a pale, steely sky, it will be fine. Swine, before rain, are unusually noisy and restless. SwalloAvs in fine weather will fly high, and at the approach of rain close to the ground; but the latter does not apply if the day is cold, in Avhich case they haAvk very low. Common sparrows washing vigorously in a puddle on the road, or at the edge of running water, is a sure sign of rain. A baker Avho kept a parrot in the dry atmosphere of the bake offices noticed that a few hours before rain the bird took an imaginary bath, flattering as if splashing Avater, and preening her feathers.— Cassell’s Family Magazine.