How to Know if Bad Weather is Coming

Can't you stand it when those weather people on TV are wrong? They say "plenty of sunshine today." But where's the sun?

All you see is rain, rain and more rain! So much for going camping or the outdoor picnic party you were going to today.

It's good to rely on weather people for upcoming hurricanes and other bad storms. But there's one place you can always look to that's all around you.

And most important, it will hardly ever fail you. Just look towards nature. What signs can nature give you that will let you know when a storm is coming? Look for the following:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   Image by: http://bluebison.net/sketchbook/2006/0906/bees.jpg

   When you see bees out flying, there will be good weather. But when they stay close to their beehive, a rainstorm is coming. Bees never swarm before a storm.

2. 
    
   Image by: http://www.raglanroad.org/weblog/archives/seagull7.jpg

   When you see birds flying close to the ground this usually means that rain will come soon.
   
   When seagulls fly to land, a storm is at hand. Remember the following:
   
   Seagull, seagull sit on the sand
   It's never good weather while you're on land.

3. When grass is dry at morning light look for rain before the night. Also, if there's dew on the grass, rain won't come to pass.

4. 
    
   Image by: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Sinai_anthill.jpg/450px-Sinai_anthill.jpg

   Keep an eye out for anthills. Ants always cover their entrance to their home when a storm is approaching.

5. 
    
   Image of cottonwood tree leaves by: http://fwp.mt.gov/content/3181,0,0.jpg

   When leaves, especially those of Cottonwood trees and clover rise upward towards the sky and show their undersides, a storm is coming.

6. 
    
   Image of red sky at night by: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Redskyatnight.jpg

   Remember the following sayings:
   
   When the ditch and pond offend the nose, look out for rain and stormy blows.
   
   Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
   Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning.
   
   A rainbow in the morning, is the shepherd's warning.
   A rainbow at night is the shepherd's delight.
   A rainbow in the afternoon means good weather coming soon.
   
   Evening red and morning gray will set the traveler on his way.
   But evening gray and morning red will bring down rain upon his head.

7. 
    
   Image of many types of clouds by: http://www.kfyrtv-videos.com/uploadfile/P1010011.JPG

   Look out for clouds. The higher they are in the sky, the better the weather. The more types of clouds in the sky, the greater the chance of upcoming rain or snow.

8. 
    
   Image by: http://thefirstmorning.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/toadstools1024.jpg

   When smoke floats towards the ground you can bet that a storm will soon come.
   
   Keep your eye out for toadstools and mushrooms. Usually when they spring overnight a storm is coming.

Tips & Warnings

• Go ahead and try to predict the weather by watching what is going on around you. It's a heck of a lot more fun than watching the weather people on TV!

[favefive]

on 12/17/2007 Wow, love this article. This is how people in old times predict weather on their long journey...long before doplar radars were invented! I bookmarked as my favorite of the day :)