GOOD AND BAD WEATHER PORTENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 21 April 1934, Page 2

GOOD AND BAD WEATHER PORTENTS

There is more in old weather lore than some of the sceptics will admit. Lieut-Commander T. It. Beatty, R.N., of the Meteorological Office, has spoken of good and “portents” which, have real meaning. The “portents” should be used in conjunction with the official forecasts and a~barometer; and too much reliance should not be placed on one portent by itself. Good portents include “Rain before seven, fine before eleven,” wool-pack clouds disappearing before sunset; dew, fog, or frost in the morning; red skv at night, and yellow at dawn; and a “low” sunset. Among had “portents,” which equally have some real meaning, Commander Beatty includes haloes, a watery sky, wind backing (particularly from west to south), a green sky, the appearance of “tliread-like” clouds in the northwest, which might mark the- front edge of a depression, and the movement of clouds at different heights in different directions. Red sky at dawn, and a yellow or high sunset, the opposite of three of the good portents, are also among bad signs. All the' “portents’ ’apply oil land as well as at sea.