Homemade Ways to Accurately Predict the Weather

You can call me a “farmer”, of sorts. Because, just like the farmers, I keep an eye on the weather most of the time. I have to know when it’s going to rain so I can plan to take a day off from writing and mow my grass and work outside. And, if it’s not going to rain for awhile, I need to know that too so I can water my vegetable and flower gardens. Basically, I plan many of my activities according to the weather. Because of this, I used to rely heavily on the weather forecasts that were given on the TV and radio. Or, I’d check the Internet to see what the weather predictions for the next few days were supposed to be. I can’t tell you how many times the weather forecasts were wrong. So, I took matters into my own hands. Now, I use homemade ways to predict the weather. They’re not always 100% accurate, but at least they’re right more times than not in predicting the weather in my corner of the world.

The first thing I did to predict the weather in a homemade way was to buy a barometer. A barometer is a device that measures the atmospheric pressure. Generally, when the
atmospheric pressure is high, you can expect a day with no precipitation. If the atmospheric pressure is low, on the other hand, the day will be rainy or snowy, depending on the season.

Of course, even a barometer isn’t one hundred percent accurate. It will show you that a high or low pressure system is heading your way. But, even so, a low pressure system doesn’t always contain rain or snow. Therefore, you have to add other homemade ways into the mix in order to accurately predict the weather.

For example, the direction of the wind can tell you alot about the impending weather too. If the wind is blowing in from the south or northwest, and the barometer is staying steady, then the weather should be decent. On the other hand, if the winds are coming in from the east or northeast, and a barometer shows that the barometric pressure is low, or is falling, then you’d better prepare for precipitation.

Other homemade ways you can accurately predict the weather include watching the sky for certain signs. If you look into the night sky and see a whitish-colored ring around the moon, you can figure that rain or snow is expected soon. The reason for this, is because the light of the moon is glowing through cirrostratus clouds. Cirrostratus clouds are thin, high clouds that form when dry, cooler air runs into moist, warm air.

Of course, if the moon is as clear as a bell, this can also be a good indication that rain is on the way. When a low-pressure weather system is approaching, the air in front of it is cleared of dust particles. Without these particles in the way, the moon looks clear and especially luminous.

Naturally, watching the clouds can be another homemade way to accurately predict the weather. In fact, it’s probably the most accurate way you can use. Seeing Cirrus clouds in the sky, which are usually long and delicate looking, means the weather is going to be okay… for now. The appearance of Cirrus clouds can mean there’s going to be a change in the weather soon.

Stratocumulus clouds, which hang low in the sky, and have a gray, bloated appearance, hardly ever produces precipitation. But Nimbostratus clouds, which are darker in color, and are uneven
at the bottom, often produce rain or snow.

Overall, to watch the clouds in order to accurately predict the weather, if you notice flat-looking clouds hanging lower in the sky, or bloated clouds rising higher, then a storm is probably on its way. If you notice that the clouds are thickening up, or are getting more active, that’s also a good indication that rain or snow is on the way. In conjunction with the clouds you see, when the temperature suddenly drops, and the wind picks up, a storm is certainly near.

And finally, there is much folklore about how to accurately predict the weather. One I heard is, that when you see spiders in your house, that’s a sign rain is approaching. While I don’t search my house for spiders during the warm months to find out if it’s going to rain or not, I do know that I have a problem with these pests coming in during the rainy, spring months.

Have you ever noticed on hot, humid days when the wind is blowing, that you can often see the backsides of the leaves on maple and oak trees? This has long been deemed as an indication that rain is certain. Because the humidity is high, and the wind is blowing, the leaves actually curl up to a certain extent.

Another piece of folklore, “When sounds travel far and wide, a stormy day will betide” is true too. One hot, humid day, I noticed that I could hear the train on a distant track much easier than normal. The reason is that sound carries better when the air is moist with humidity. And, sure enough, we did have thunderstorms a day or so later.