If wind shifts against the sun,Trust it not, for back ’twill run.* * *Mackerels’ scales and Mares’ tails,Cautious sailors shorten sails.* * *A mackerel skySeldom passes over dry.* * *Rainbow in the morning, sailors take warning.Rainbow at night, sailor’s delight.* * *Sun rising low and clear,Bad weather do not fear.Sunrise hidden, light on high,Reef your sails for wind is nigh.* * *When the sun sinks bathed in gold,Strong winds surely are foretold,But if red the sun should set,Then the morrow will be wet,While if pink shows in the West,Weather will be of the best.* * *If a ring surrounds the moon,Wind and rain are coming soon.Twinkling stars that brightly glowShow that there will be a blow.* * *Sunrise red, bad weather ahead,Sunrise gray, a pleasant day.* * *When the sea’s against the wind,Then your topsail halliards mind.
If wind shifts against the sun,Trust it not, for back ’twill run.* * *Mackerels’ scales and Mares’ tails,Cautious sailors shorten sails.* * *A mackerel skySeldom passes over dry.* * *Rainbow in the morning, sailors take warning.Rainbow at night, sailor’s delight.* * *Sun rising low and clear,Bad weather do not fear.Sunrise hidden, light on high,Reef your sails for wind is nigh.* * *When the sun sinks bathed in gold,Strong winds surely are foretold,But if red the sun should set,Then the morrow will be wet,While if pink shows in the West,Weather will be of the best.* * *If a ring surrounds the moon,Wind and rain are coming soon.Twinkling stars that brightly glowShow that there will be a blow.* * *Sunrise red, bad weather ahead,Sunrise gray, a pleasant day.* * *When the sea’s against the wind,Then your topsail halliards mind.
If wind shifts against the sun,Trust it not, for back ’twill run.
If wind shifts against the sun,
Trust it not, for back ’twill run.
* * *
* * *
Mackerels’ scales and Mares’ tails,Cautious sailors shorten sails.
Mackerels’ scales and Mares’ tails,
Cautious sailors shorten sails.
* * *
* * *
A mackerel skySeldom passes over dry.
A mackerel sky
Seldom passes over dry.
* * *
* * *
Rainbow in the morning, sailors take warning.Rainbow at night, sailor’s delight.
Rainbow in the morning, sailors take warning.
Rainbow at night, sailor’s delight.
* * *
* * *
Sun rising low and clear,Bad weather do not fear.Sunrise hidden, light on high,Reef your sails for wind is nigh.
Sun rising low and clear,
Bad weather do not fear.
Sunrise hidden, light on high,
Reef your sails for wind is nigh.
* * *
* * *
When the sun sinks bathed in gold,Strong winds surely are foretold,But if red the sun should set,Then the morrow will be wet,While if pink shows in the West,Weather will be of the best.
When the sun sinks bathed in gold,
Strong winds surely are foretold,
But if red the sun should set,
Then the morrow will be wet,
While if pink shows in the West,
Weather will be of the best.
* * *
* * *
If a ring surrounds the moon,Wind and rain are coming soon.Twinkling stars that brightly glowShow that there will be a blow.
If a ring surrounds the moon,
Wind and rain are coming soon.
Twinkling stars that brightly glow
Show that there will be a blow.
* * *
* * *
Sunrise red, bad weather ahead,Sunrise gray, a pleasant day.
Sunrise red, bad weather ahead,
Sunrise gray, a pleasant day.
* * *
* * *
When the sea’s against the wind,Then your topsail halliards mind.
When the sea’s against the wind,
Then your topsail halliards mind.
There are many more of these known to mariners, but the above are the most important and familiar and while the signs may fail at times yet it must be borne in mind that even the government experts, with their highly perfected and delicate instruments, are often at fault in their forecasts of the weather. With all our knowledge and scientific research, we really know very little about atmospheric conditions and changes and many an old sailor or fisherman can foretell fair or foul weather, wind or rain, almost as accurately as the trained observers of the Weather Bureau.