Be Your Own Barometer

Sure, in this day and age we all have access to weather forecasts 24 hours a day. They are on the TV, the radio, on our computers, and even in our pockets. Meteorolgy has become a very advanced science but forecasting the weather doesn’t have to be complicated. There are signs all around us all the time. They can be seen in the clouds, in the behavior of birds and mammals, and even in the behavior of plants. Read on below to learn more about how you can become your own personal weather station.
Clouds are a great place to start forecasting the weather. Clouds come in three basic types, Stratus, Cumulus, and Cirrus. Sometimes you will also see the word “Nimbus” attached to the cloud type name.

Nimbus simply means rain and it is a way fo saying that those clouds are carrying rain. These three basic types of clouds all have very different characteristics and can each give you information about the weather. Cirrus are the high, broken-up, looking clouds. Cirrus almost
never carry rain with them. However, Cirrus clouds are representative of disturbance in the upper atmosphere. Cirrus clouds often appear a day or two ahead of a major storm and are very useful in forecasting weather. Stratus are the high, even, overcast type clouds. They often appear as a completely gray sky. Stratus clouds can carry rain and if they do it is often of the “scattered showers” or “constant drizzle” kind. Stratus clouds can also appear as part of a very large storm system moving through an area. Cumulus are the stereotypical “fluffy” looking clouds. They can sometimes appear as white cottony patches drifting through the summer sky. Alternately, they can show up as dark storm clouds that travel around dumping heavy rain on localized spots. Once you have a feel for the three basic cloud types start paying attention to the dominant wind patterns in your area. Certain types of weather tend to come from certain directions. For instance, in the Willamette Valley where I live we tend to get wet, mild weather from the Southwest and we tend to get cold, dry weather from the Northwest. In general in the Northern Hemisphere the weather patterns travel from West to East. As you expand your awareness of the weather start to look for clues in other places. Birds, mammals, insects and plants all anticipate the weather and react in different ways. Good luck and happy forecasting!