[TABLE OF CONTENTS]
[COMBINED AGENDAS BY TOPIC]
Weather Heritage: Legend and Lore
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Saying #1: The higher the clouds, the better the weather.
Explanation: True! Higher clouds indicate both dryness of the air and higher atmospheric pressure. Both
these qualities are present in fair weather.
(http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/weather_proverbs.htm)
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Saying #2: When you hear the train, it will rain.
Explanation:
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Saying #3:
Seagull, seagull sit on the sand.
It’s a sign of rain when you are at hand.
Saying #3:
Seabirds stay out from the land,
We won’t have good weather while you’re on the sand.
Explanation: Generally speaking, birds will roost more during low pressure than during high pressure.
Before a hurricane, huge flocks of birds can be seen roosting. Maybe the lowering of the pressure or
decrease in air density makes flying more work. The lessening of natural updrafts might also account for
birds “resting it out.” (http://inspire.opsi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/weather/hsweather/solutions.html)
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Saying #4:
Red sky at night at night, sailors delight;
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.
Explanation: Reddish skies at sunset and sunrise are caused when sunlight scatters off dust and water
vapor particles. Since condensation of water vapor begins on tiny dust particles, a reddish sky is
associated with the possibility of rain. Since our weather systems move from west to east, the moisture
content at night may be gone by the next day (a delight), whereas the moisture in the morning may turn
into rain later in the day (a warning). (Science: Essential Interactions p.503 at www.cplearning.com and
Monroe2 BOCES at http://www.monroewboces.org/shared/esp/weatherlore.htm)
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Saying #5:
A cow with its tail to the west makes the weather the best;
A cow with its tail to the east makes weather the least.
Explanation: There is much truth to this New England saying. An animal grazes with its tail to the wind.
This is instinctive so that the animal may face and see an invader. An invader from the opposite direction
would have its scent carried to the cow by the wind. In as much as an east wind is a rain wind and a west
wind is a fair wind, a grazing animal’s tail becomes a weather sign!
(http://inspire.opsi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/weather/hsweather/solutions.html)
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Saying #6: Flies bite more before a rain.
Explanation: This rule does not always apply. It is known that insects spend more time calling during moist
weather because flying is more difficult. Also, heat causes more human sweating, which makes us a more
appealing target. These two reasons, along with the fact that more body odors are released into the
atmosphere when the air pressure on your body lowers, all add up to insects being more bothersome just
M. Colvard
Formative Assessment Strategy
before a rain than at any other time.
(http://inspire.opsi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/weather/hsweather/solutions.html)
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Saying #7: When squirrels lay in a big store of nuts, look for a hard winter.
Explanation: False! Squirrels just do the best they can! Just like us.
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Saying #8: When leaves show their backs, it will rain.
Explanation: When trees grow, their leaves fall into a pattern according to the prevailing wind.
Therefore, when a storm wind (which is naturally a non-prevailing one) occurs, the leaves will be ruffled
backwards and show their light undersides.
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Saying #9: When smoke descends, good weather ends.
Explanation: The instability of pre-storm pressures and humidity keeps smoke from chimneys or bonfires
from rising quickly and finally to curl downward in the face of a storm wind.
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Saying #10:
A wind from the south
Has rain in its mouth.
Explanation: A south wind blows in advance of a cold front and also blows over the east quadrant of an
approaching low pressure cell. (http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/weather_proverbs.htm)
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Saying #11:
When halo rings the moon or sun
Rain’s approaching on the run.
Saying #11: Halo ‘round the Sun or Moon
Rain or snow is coming soon.
Explanation: The first clouds that appear when a warm front meets a cold air mass are high cirrus clouds.
The ice crystals in these clouds bend light from the Sun or Moon forming a circular halo, thus warning
that unsettled weather is approaching. (Science: Essential Interactions p.503 at www.cplearning.com)
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Saying #12: When the ditch offends the nose, look for rain and stormy blows.
Explanation: The weight of a high pressure (fair weather) atmosphere keeps a certain amount of odors
trapped. A lessening of the pressure (as before a storm) will release odors from walls, swamps, ditches,
cellars, etc.
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Bonus
Saying: Rainbow in the morning
Gives you fair warning.
Explanation: The sun is in the east in the morning. The shower and associated rainbow are in the west.
Since weather generally moves from west to east, rain is approaching.
[TABLE OF CONTENTS]
[COMBINED AGENDAS BY TOPIC]
M. Colvard
Formative Assessment Strategy