WEATHER OMENS.
FOR FINE AND DRY WEATHER OF LONG CONTINUANCE.
1. If the wind be north, north-west, or east, then veer to the north-east, remain there two or three days without rain, and then veer to the south without rain; and if thence it change quickly, though perhaps with a little rain, to the north-east, and remain there—such fine weather will last occasionally for two months.
2. If there be dry weather with a weak south wind for five, six, or seven days, it having previously blown strongly from the same quarter.
3. If spiders in spinning their webs, make the terminating filaments long, we may, in proportion to their length, conclude that the weather will be serene, and continue so for ten or twelve days.
4. If there are no falling stars to be seen on a bright summer’s evening, you may look for fine weather.
5. If there be a change from continued stormy or wet to clear and dry weather, at the time of new or full moon, or a short time before or after, and so remain until the second day of the new or full moon, it is likely to remain fine till the following quarter; and if it change not then, or only for a very short time, it usually lasts until the following new or full moon; and if it does not change then, or only for a very short time, it is likely to continue fine and dry for four or five weeks.
6. If there be a change of weather at the time of the quarters, &c. (under the same circumstances as in No. 5), it will probably last for some time.
7. Spiders generally alter their webs once in 24 hours; if they do this between six and seven in the evening, there will be a fine night; if they alter their web in the morning, a fine day; if they work during rain, expect fine weather; and the more active and busy the spider is, the finer will be the weather.
8. If near the full moon there be a general mist before sunrise; or
9. If there be a sheep-sky, or white clouds driving to the north-west, it will be fine for some days.
FOR FOUL AND WET WEATHER.
10. If the sun rise pale, or pale-red, or even dark-blue, there will be rain during the day.
11. If the clouds at sunrise be red, there will be rain the following day.
12. If at sunrise many dark clouds are seen in the west, and remain, there will be rain on that day.
13. If the sun rise covered with a dark-spotted cloud; rain the same day.
14. If in the winter there be a red sky at sunrise; steady rain same day; in summer, showers and wind.
15. If the sun set in dark heavy clouds; rain next day.
16. But if it rain directly; wind the following day.
17. If the sun set pale or purple; rain or wind the following day.
18. If the sun set, and there be a very red sky in the east, wind; in the south-east, rain.
19. If long strips of clouds drive at a slow rate high in the air, and gradually become larger, the sky having been previously clear, there will be wet.
20. If there be many falling stars on a clear evening, in the summer, there will be thunder.
21. If there be a change of the wind from the north-west or west, to the south-west or south, or else from the north-east or east, to the south-east or south; wet.
22. If the sun burn more than usual, or there be a halo round the sun during fine weather; wet.
23. If it rain and the sun shine; showers.
24. If the full moon rise pale; wet.
25. If the full moon rise red; wind.
26. If the stars appear larger, and closer, and flicker; rain or wind.
27. If small white clouds, with rough edges, be seen to gather together; there will be wind.
28. Before thunder it often begins to blow.
29. If there be a fleecy sky, unless driving north-west; wet.
30. If clouds at different heights float in different directions.
31. If an assemblage of large or small clouds spread out, or become thicker and darker.
32. If clouds suddenly appear in the south.
33. If the lower clouds drive more from the south than those above.
34. If there be rain about two hours after sunrise, it will be followed by showers.
35. If there be a damp fog or mist, accompanied with wind; wet.
36. If there be a halo round the moon, in fine weather; and the larger the circle, the nearer the rain.
37. If the stars above 45 degrees, especially the North Star, flicker strongly and appear closer than usual, there will be rain.
38. If the morning be clear and sunny, in summer or autumn, there will be rain.
39. If the fields in the morning be covered with a heavy wet fog, it will generally rain within two or three days.
40. “A rainbow in the morning is the shepherd’s warning.”
FOR STORM.
41. If the clouds be of different heights, the sky above being grayish or dirty blue, with hardly any wind stirring; the wind, however, changing from W. to S., or sometimes to S. E., without perceptibly increasing in force.
42. If there be a clouded sky, and dark clouds driving fast (either with the wind or more from the south), under the higher clouds, violent gusts of wind.
43. If there be long points, tails, or feathers hanging from thunder or rain-clouds, five, six, or more degrees above the horizon, with little wind in summer, thunder may be expected; but the storm will be generally of short duration.
44. If there be a light blue sky, with thin, light, flying clouds, whilst the wind goes to the south without much increase in force; or a dirty-blue sky, where no clouds are to be seen; storm.
45. If the sun be seen double, or more times reflected in the clouds, expect a heavy storm.
46. If the sun set with a very red sky in the east, expect stormy wind.
47. If two or three rings be seen round the moon, which are spotted and spread out, expect a storm of long continuance.
48. If porpoises and whales sport about ships.
49. If sea-gulls and other birds fly inland.
50. Storms are most frequent in December, January and February. In September, there are generally one or two storms. If it blow in the day, it generally hushes toward evening; but if it continue blowing then, it may be expected to continue. The vernal equinoctial gales are stronger than the autumnal.
FOR THUNDER AND HEAVY RAIN.
51. If long horizontal strips appear with two or three edges spreading out at top into feathers, and passing over the middle of other clouds, generally there will be thunder.
52. If the clouds be uniformly black, or dark gray.
53. In May and July it thunders most; in May, expect thunder with a south-west wind.
54. If there be north-east or easterly wind in the spring, after a strong increase of heat, and small clouds appear in different parts of the sky; or if the wind change from east to south at the appearance of clouds preceded by heat.
55. If a morning fog form into clouds, at different heights, which increase in size and drive in layers.
56. If clouds float at different heights and rates, but generally in opposite directions.
57. If there be many “falling stars” on a fine summer’s eve.
58. If there be sheet lightning, with a clear sky, on spring, summer, and autumn evenings.
59. If the wind be hushed with sudden heat.
60. If clover contract its leaves.
61. If there be thunder in the evening, there will be much rain and showery weather.
FOR THE APPROACH OF THUNDER.
62. If an east wind blow against a dark heavy sky from the westward, the wind decreasing in force as the clouds approach.
63. If the clouds rise and twist in different directions.
64. If the birds be silent.
65. If cattle run round and collect together in the meadows.
FOR CONTINUED THUNDER SHOWERS.
66. If there be showery weather, with sunshine, and increase of heat in the spring, a thunder storm may be expected every day, or at least every other day.
ABATEMENT OF THUNDER STORMS.
67. If the air be very dry, with clear, yet cooler weather; or if one or two following days the atmosphere be heavy, with a little damp falling.
68. With a north wind it seldom thunders; but with a south and south-west wind, often.
FOR COLDER WEATHER.
69. If the wind change to the north and north-east.
70. If the wind change, in summer only, to the north-west.
71. If the wind shift to the east in summer only.
72. If the wind shift from south to south-east in winter.
FOR INCREASE OF WARMTH OR HEAT.
73. If the wind shift round to the south and south-west.
74. If the wind change from east, north-east, or north, to north-west and west, in the winter.
75. If the wind change to the east, in summer only; especially if from north-east.
76. If the wind change to south-east, especially in summer.
FOR FROST.
77. If birds of passage arrive early from colder climates.
78. If the cold increase whilst it snows, as soon as it begins to freeze.
79. If the wind blow north-east in winter.
80. If the ice crack much, expect the frost to continue.
81. If the mole dig his hole two feet and a half deep, expect a very severe winter. If two feet deep, not so severe; one foot deep, a mild winter.
82. If water-fowl or sparrows make more noise than usual; also if robins approach nearer houses than usual; frost.
83. If there be a dark, gray sky, with a south wind.
84. If there be continued fogs.
85. If the fire burn unusually fierce and bright in winter there will be frost and clear weather; if the fire burn dull, expect damp and rain.
FOR THAW.
86. If snow fall in flakes, which increase in size.
87. If the heat increase in the afternoon, or suddenly before twelve o’clock.
88. If clouds drive up high from the south, south-west, or west.
89. If it freeze, and the barometer fall 20 or 30 hundredths.