Weather Indicators
The weather will generally remain fair when:
The wind blows gently from the west or northwest.
Barometer remains steady or rises.
Cumulus clouds dot the summer sky in the afternoon.
Morning fog breaks or “burns off” by noon (evidence of clear sky above).
Rainy weather or snow may come when:
Cirrus clouds thicken and are followed by lower clouds. Particularly true if barometer is dropping.
There is a ring around the moon. Particularly true if barometer is dropping.
Puffy cumulus clouds begin to develop vertically.
Sky is dark and threatening to the west.
Southerly wind increases in speed with clouds moving from west.
The wind -- particularly a north wind -- shifts in a counterclockwise direction -- that is, from north to west to south.
The barometer falls steadily.
Weather will generally clear when:
Bases of clouds show steady rise to higher types.
The wind -- particularly an east wind -- shifts to the west.
The barometer rises rapidly.
Temperature will usually fall when:
Wind blows from -- or shifts to -- north or northwest.
Night sky is clear and wind is light.
The barometer rises steadily in winter.
Temperature will usually rise when:
Wind is from south, particularly with cloud cover at night or clear sky during the day.
This table comes from Weather by Paul Lehr, R. Will Burnett and Herbert S. Zim, Ph.D., Sc.D. Published by Golden Books, New York, revised edition 1987, page 143.
