Rhymes Foretelling Weather
Rhymes Foretelling Weather
THERE is considerable truth in the rhymes used by seamen in detecting signs of a coming storm. Although it matters little to a modern steamer what the weather is, as long as it keeps clear, still if such an up-to-date craft is in the hurricane regions during the season, it will give the master much anxiety.
Tropical cyclones generally originate in about latitude 10° north or south of the equator. The sign of an approaching hurricane is the ugly threatening appearance which comes ahead of most severe gales, and increases in severity at every gust. Sometimes a long heavy swell and confused sea will precede the hurricane, rolling from the direction in which the hurricane is approaching. The halo around the sun, the moist and heavy air with squalls ofmisty rain, the light feathery whitish glare of the sky all give evidence that bad weather is at hand. In northern latitudes a mackerel sky moving rapidly from the westward indicates an approaching westerly gale. The mare’s tail is another sign of a coming storm. Oily looking clouds tell of wind, while soft ones speak of fine weather. High upper clouds crossing the sun and moon in a direction opposite to that from which the wind is blowing indicate a change of wind coming from that direction. When the first glimmer of dawn appears over a bank of clouds instead of the horizon, it foretells wind. When the first streaks of light appear on the horizon expect fine weather. A rapid rise of the barometer indicates unsettled weather. A slow, steady rise foretells fair weather. A rapid fall a heavy gale with rain.
“A red sky in the morning,Sailors take warning,A red sky at night,The sailors delight.”
“A red sky in the morning,Sailors take warning,A red sky at night,The sailors delight.”
“A red sky in the morning,
Sailors take warning,
A red sky at night,
The sailors delight.”
The same rhyme answers for the rainbow as it does for the sky.
In squally weather this old doggerel has its truth.
“When the rain’s before the windTopsail halliards you must mind,When the wind’s before the rain,Soon you may make sail again.”“At sea with low and falling glass,Soundly sleeps the careless ass.Only when it’s high and rising,Safely rests the careful wise one.”“Evening red and morning grey,Are excellent signs of a very fine day.”“Mackerel sky and mare’s tailsMake lofty ships carry low sails.”
“When the rain’s before the windTopsail halliards you must mind,When the wind’s before the rain,Soon you may make sail again.”“At sea with low and falling glass,Soundly sleeps the careless ass.Only when it’s high and rising,Safely rests the careful wise one.”“Evening red and morning grey,Are excellent signs of a very fine day.”“Mackerel sky and mare’s tailsMake lofty ships carry low sails.”
“When the rain’s before the windTopsail halliards you must mind,When the wind’s before the rain,Soon you may make sail again.”
“When the rain’s before the wind
Topsail halliards you must mind,
When the wind’s before the rain,
Soon you may make sail again.”
“At sea with low and falling glass,Soundly sleeps the careless ass.Only when it’s high and rising,Safely rests the careful wise one.”
“At sea with low and falling glass,
Soundly sleeps the careless ass.
Only when it’s high and rising,
Safely rests the careful wise one.”
“Evening red and morning grey,Are excellent signs of a very fine day.”
“Evening red and morning grey,
Are excellent signs of a very fine day.”
“Mackerel sky and mare’s tailsMake lofty ships carry low sails.”
“Mackerel sky and mare’s tails
Make lofty ships carry low sails.”
The doggerel for the barometer is:
“Quick rise after lowForetells stronger blow.Long foretold, long last,Short notice soon past.”
“Quick rise after lowForetells stronger blow.Long foretold, long last,Short notice soon past.”
“Quick rise after low
Foretells stronger blow.
Long foretold, long last,
Short notice soon past.”
The flight of the sea gull is also an indication of the weather.
“The wind will blow hard when the gull comes ashore.”“Sea gull, sea gull, sit on the sand,It’s never good weather when you’re on the land.”
“The wind will blow hard when the gull comes ashore.”“Sea gull, sea gull, sit on the sand,It’s never good weather when you’re on the land.”
“The wind will blow hard when the gull comes ashore.”
“The wind will blow hard when the gull comes ashore.”
“Sea gull, sea gull, sit on the sand,It’s never good weather when you’re on the land.”
“Sea gull, sea gull, sit on the sand,
It’s never good weather when you’re on the land.”