WEATHER
What exactly is Weather? Well according to me, "Weather is the decision whether to fly or drink, and is under no circumstances something to be unsure of, least you end up flying into the drink." Case in point being our poor friend Jake in this photo here. Whether it's full of lots of cool terminology to fool us or not, weather is both your best friend and worst enemy. Let's blow away some of those cobwebs and learn all we can.
For example did you know that:
a Front is the boundary separating two masses of different density air, & the place in the seaplane where all the fun happens;Nephology is the study of clouds;
& a Trough is an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts, from which bureaucrats feed.
Simple Weather Forecasting
There's lots of wisdom that we're losing in our continual quest for knowledge. After all would you rather be a knowledgeable fool or a simple wiseone? In an effort to pass on some of the weather lore of our forefather's forefathers try yourself to pass on a few of the following lores. Our ummm, eightfathers, had a sail load of weather sayings. Take the following with a grain of salt (which by the way can be an an indication of approaching rain as salt tends to clog up saltshakers by drawing moisture from the air as humidity increases prior to a downpour) and lets keep their wisdom alive as our seaplane's sail off into the sky . . .
"Cold is the nightWhen the stars shine bright." |
A very clear sky permits more starlight to penetrate and brightens the stars while a high level of moisture reddens the light and holds in the heat like a blanket. |
"Mares' tails and mackerel scales,Make lofty ships carry low sails." |
Cirrus clouds which appear flowing horse tails & Altocumulus clouds which appear broken & scaly, often precede an approaching storm front by a day or two. |
"A wind in the southhas rain in her mouth." |
You've got to watch out for those chilly southerlies bringing that nasty rain. |
"If a cat washes her face o'er her ear,'tis a sign the weather will be fine & clear." |
To prevent annoying static charges on their fur caused by dry fair weather cats lick their fur to moisten it. |
"Cats & dogs eat grass before a rain." |
Changes in air pressure may affect animals and cats and dogs eat grass when they are feeling gastrointestinal distress & need to vomit. |
"When chairs squeak,Its about rain they speak." |
Wooden chairs absorb moisture from the air as humidity rises which causes them to squeak. |
"A summer fog for fair,A winter fog for rain.A fact most everywhere,In valley or on plain." |
Fog forms when a) temperature fails to the dew point on a clear calm summer night (a cloudy night acts like a blanket and keeps the heat in preventing fog), or b) wet warm air blows over the cold land which forms a winter fog |
"When the dew is on the grass,Rain will never come to pass.When grass is dry at morning light,Look for rain before the night." |
No dew on the grass means either the sky is cloudy or the wind is strong, both of which may mean rain. |